function getNewsFeed() {
    if( typeof irxmlnewsreleases != 'undefined' && irxmlnewsreleases.length > 0 ){
        var newsfeed = ''
        newsfeed = '<div id=mynews >'
        for( var i=0; i<irxmlnewsreleases.length; i++ ){
          var newsrelease = irxmlnewsreleases[i];


          newsfeed = newsfeed +'<div id=news' + (i+1) + ' class=news_style rel="News '+ (i+1) +'" >'
             + ' <p class="date">' + irxmlfunctions.formatDate(newsrelease.releasedate, 'M/dd/yyyy') + '</p>'
             + ' <p class="news_item"><a href="http://investors.smithfieldfoods.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=' + newsrelease.releaseid + '" target="_blank">' + newsrelease.title + '</a></p>'
            + '</div>';
        }
        newsfeed = newsfeed +'</div>'

    } else {
        newsfeed = '<p class="news_item">These news releases are not available at this time.</p>';
    }
return newsfeed;

}//end function