- In Conjunction with Its Customers, Smithfield Moves to Using Group Pens

for Housing Pregnant Sows -

    SMITHFIELD, Va., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods, Inc.
 announced today that it is beginning the process of phasing out individual
 gestation stalls at all of its company-owned sow farms and replacing them
 with pens-or group housing-over the next 10 years. Smithfield also will
 work with its contract growers regarding system conversion.
     "Working with our customers, who have made their views known on the
 issue of gestation stalls, we are pleased to be taking this
 precedent-setting step," said C. Larry Pope, chief executive officer of
 Smithfield Foods. "During our 70 years in business we have always been
 sensitive to the concerns and needs of our customers, and they have told us
 they feel group housing is a more animal-friendly form of sow housing."
     "While this will be a significant financial commitment for our company
 over the next 10 years, we believe it's the right thing to do," said Pope.
     Gestation stalls and group housing are methods used by hog producers to
 house pregnant sows. The sows are kept in these facilities during their
 pregnancies, which last about 16 weeks, to closely monitor their progress.
     In making the decision to convert from gestation stalls to group
 housing, Pope pointed out that "our decision acknowledges that extensive
 research into sow housing has concluded both gestation stalls and group
 pens provide for the well-being of pregnant sows and work equally well from
 a production standpoint. There is no scientific consensus on which system
 is superior, and we do not endorse one management system over the other."
     Smithfield also based its decision to adopt the group housing system on
 initial results of its own three-year study into sow housing. The company
 has been researching penning systems at some of its hog farms in North
 Carolina. The second year of the study has been completed, and preliminary
 results indicate that, with proper management, group housing arrangements
 are equally as good as gestation stalls in providing proper care for
 pregnant sows.
     "Existing expert research, along with our own findings, has led us to
 conclude that switching from gestation stalls to group pens will not have a
 detrimental effect on our animals or the way we run our business," said
 Dennis Treacy, Smithfield's vice president of environmental and corporate
 affairs.
     "Group housing does present some challenges, and we don't have all the
 answers at this time," Treacy said. "But that's why we have given ourselves
 10 years to convert our company-owned farms to group pens. Additional
 research will provide the information we need."
     A number of industry experts have concluded that the most important
 factors in providing for the welfare of animals are the husbandry and
 management skills of the people running the operation. "We agree with that
 assessment, and we're confident that our employees have the necessary
 skills to successfully make the conversion to group housing," Treacy said.
     "The welfare of our animals has always been a priority for us, and that
 is why Murphy-Brown, our hog production subsidiary, created its Animal
 Welfare Management System (AWMS)," Treacy said. "Our AWMS includes
 practices designed to monitor animal well-being at all stages of the
 animal's life through a series of checklists, inspections and audits."
     Smithfield Foods has delivered a 24 percent average annual compounded
 rate of return to investors since 1975. With sales of $11 billion,
 Smithfield is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and
 processed meats in the United States, as well as the largest producer of
 hogs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
 
 

SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc.