January 4, 2013
At the end of 2012, Smithfield Foods, Inc. had successfully transitioned 38% of pregnant sows on its US company-owned farms from individual gestation stalls to group housing systems.
In the latest update, the company reported that it remains on track to finish its conversion to group housing on all company-owned farms in the US by 2017. In 2007, Smithfield made a business decision to convert to group housing for pregnant sows on all company-owned US farms based on input from its customers.
In addition, Smithfield said that its international hog production operations also will complete their conversions from gestation stalls to group housing on company-owned farms by 2022. Smithfield's hog production operations in Poland (AgriPlus) and Romania (Smithfield Ferme) completed their conversions to group housing facilities on company-owned farms a number of years ago.
Moreover, the company's Granjas Carroll de México (GCM) and Norson joint ventures in Mexico are committed to phasing out gestation stalls on company-owned farms by 2022. The company estimated the total cost of transition to group pens at approximately US$300 million. The cost of conversion ranges from US$250 per sow to as high as US$650 per sow at older farms with more complicated barn conversions.
Many of their barns require extensive retrofits and reconfigurations to create the new housing systems. As they implement the new systems, they are simultaneously taking the opportunity to make other improvements to the facilities.
Smithfield Foods is a US$13 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. It 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.
