SMITHFIELD, Va., Oct. 07, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Smithfield Foods, Inc. today announced that the company is fully prepared for the potential impact of Hurricane Matthew, specifically in North Carolina. The company has numerous operations, both plants and farms, and more than 10,000 employees in the state.
Employees in the company’s eastern North Carolina plants and on its approximately 250 company-owned farms and 1,500 contract farms are taking steps to protect people, animals and buildings against wind and rain damage.
Across its operations, the company has enacted its hurricane preparedness procedures. On its farms, the company has been closely monitoring and, as necessary, lowering lagoon levels in accordance with state regulations and farms’ nutrient management plans. This is an ongoing, year-round process. Last winter, for example, farms weathered historically high levels of rainfall without serious incident.
The company will continue to monitor the storm’s track and will be in constant contact with state emergency and regulatory personnel throughout the event.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $14 billion global food company and the world’s largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including SmithfieldⓇ, EckrichⓇ, Nathan’s FamousⓇ, FarmlandⓇ, ArmourⓇ, John MorrellⓇ, Cook’sⓇ, KretschmarⓇ, GwaltneyⓇ, Curly’sⓇ, MargheritaⓇ, CarandoⓇ, Healthy OnesⓇ, KrakusⓇ, MorlinyⓇ and BerlinkiⓇ. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
CONTACT: Contact: Kathleen Kirkham Smithfield Foods, Inc. (757) 365-1985 [email protected]