Earning Green from the Golden Arches--Summer 2010 Edition

Those of us at Smithfield Foods are honored and privileged to have had a long and successful relationship with a legendary company like McDonald's with its well-earned reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.

Key to McDonald's reputation is its commitment to sustainability. That commitment is not only prominent throughout its own operations, but is one it demands from suppliers as well. This is why Smithfield was so honored to be the first recipient of McDonald's Supplier Sustainability Award in 2009.

McDonald's has extended the role sustainability plays in its business through the birth of its "Best of Green" publication in 2009. "Best of Green" cataloged the finest "green" practices from within its system. This year, we are honored to be included in McDonald's latest sustainability publication, "Best of Sustainable Supply." This publication details successful sustainable practices from across the McDonald's supply chain. McDonald's has long been committed to strong corporate social responsibility initiatives and programs. Smithfield Foods is proud to be associated with a company so devoted to sustainability and responsibility.

"Best of Sustainable Supply" recognizes certain suppliers for improving ethical, environmental and economic outcomes in a variety of areas. Smithfield Foods is proud to have been recognized in 2010 by McDonald's for our superior animal welfare practices, such as:

Pork Quality Assurance Plus Program: For this project, we joined forces with the National Pork Board to establish an industry-wide standard for animal welfare and animal care. This program allows producers to become certified under an objective standard.

Animal Welfare Committee: The Smithfield Foods Animal Welfare Committee, which features a diverse group of members with varying areas of expertise, offers internal counsel to Smithfield Foods personnel on animal welfare issues.

Emergency Response: Smithfield Foods employees are specifically trained as first responders with expertise that enables them to professionally manage a livestock transport accident. Jennifer Woods, a livestock handling expert, has praised our emergency response program as "the standard for the industry in live-haul emergency response."

Click here to read the full text of the "Best of Sustainable Supply" publication or to learn more about our animal welfare programs.