Corporate Profiles - 2023 - 103

Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Hog farms closing in Missouri; wastewater
system begins operations in South Dakota
S
mithfield Foods, Inc., Smithfield, Va., closed
plants and dealt with wastewater issues in
2023.
Declining profits due to inflation and higher
input costs had a negative impact on the pork
industry, and Smithfield Foods was no exception.
Murphy-Brown LLC, a division of Smithfield Foods,
planned to close some of its operations in northern
Missouri, according to a Worker Adjustment Retraining
Notification (WARN) posted by the state of
Missouri. A Smithfield spokesperson confirmed the
decision.
As part of the move, Smithfield will close 35 hog
farms, including 13 in Newtown, 12 in Lucerne and
10 in Princeton. Which specific facilities would close
were not identified.
Positive news came when Andrea Tucker, a plant
manager, was named 2023 Operations Executive of
resources officer and Tennille Checkovich was promoted
to general counsel.
" Jay's human resources leadership in the manufacturing
industry is unparalleled, and Tennille's
continued work to elevate Smithfield's culture of
legal and regulatory compliance has been exemplary, "
said Shane Smith, president and chief executive
officer for Smithfield.
Smithfield Foods in July announced the construction
of a new $45 million wastewater system
at its pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, SD.
" The investment we have made in Sioux Falls
will significantly reduce nutrient discharges and improve
water quality in the Big Sioux River basin, "
said Stewart Leeth, chief sustainability officer.
Through a treatment process known as denitrification,
the new system converts ammonia-nitrogen
found in wastewater to nitrate-nitrogen and proceeds
to remove the nitrate-nitrogen. The US Environmental
Protection Agency prefers the method
for the minimized impact on aquatic life. Smithfield
said the process will reduce its overall nitrogen load
to the Big Sioux River by at least 66%.
Smithfield has committed to be carbon negaChief
executive officer -
Shane Smith
the Year by Sosland Publishing Co.'s Meat + Poultry,
making her the first woman to win the award.
Ms. Tucker became a plant manager in 2019 at a
Wilson, NC, bacon facility, and three years later she
was promoted to plant manager of the largest pork
processing operation in the world: Smithfield's Tar
Heel, NC, plant.
Mark Hall became Smithfield's chief financial officer
on Jan. 1, replacing Glenn Nunziata. Mr. Hall
joined Smithfield in 2014 as vice president of finance
for the John Morrell Food Group. In March,
Isham " Jay " Bennett was appointed chief human
Corporate Profiles
tive and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%
across US operations by 2030. Another 2030 sustainability
goal is to obtain 50% of the company's
electricity from renewable sources.
Yet Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois
congressman, in August said he wrote two
letters to the EPA and US Department of Agriculture's
Food Safety and Inspection Service asking for
inspections at a St. Charles, Ill., processing plant
run by Smithfield Foods.
Ray Atkinson, senior director of external communications
for Smithfield, said the company invested
over $350,000 in odor neutralization.
" It is important to note that the last complaint
was more than three months ago, " he said. " After
the last complaint in early May, Illinois EPA visited
our facility and noted that 'The odor control system
appears to be operating properly with no odors.' "
Still, the US EPA in a Sept. 12 letter said it had
begun an investigation into the wastewater treatment
process and equipment at Smithfield Foods'
processing plant in St. Charles. CP
FAST FACTS:
The Smithfield Packing Co. began operations
in 1936.
Smithfield Foods sells products under
brands such as Eckrich, Nathan's Famous,
Armour, Farmland and Smithfield.
Hong Kong-based WH Group Ltd. acquired
Smithfield Foods in 2013.
SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.
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October 2023 / 103

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