Photo of a girl inspecting the water at an outdoor project.

Smithfield Foods — Committed to Protecting the Environment

Providing good food responsibly means going above and beyond to be good stewards of the environment. Our commitment to environmental leadership is reflected in our ISO 14001 certification, the gold standard for environmental management, as well as in these other areas:

  • Implemented 129 projects in 2008 and 124 projects in 2009 that resulted in reduced water usage, lower greenhouse gas emissions, increased recycling and less waste disposal
  • Developed a required, Web-based training program for all wastewater treatment system operators that has been approved for continuing education credits in seven states
  • Expanded the existing training program for the environmental coordinators at our facilities to include three years of coursework
  • Continued to include acquisitions and international operations as part of our ISO 14001 certification with 578 locations currently certified

National FFA Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event

The team from Oley Valley High School in Pennsylvania placed first at the 82nd National FFA Convention in 2009. (Left to Right) Dr. James D. Howe, Taylor Helbig, Amelia Howe, Kellsey Turner, Damian Oswald, and Christine Eppstein-Tang, Smithfield Foods. Photo by King Shots Photography.

The National FFA Organization is a driving force in the education of students across the country, providing opportunities to learn leadership skills and experience personal growth and career success through agricultural education. That’s why we’re pleased to sponsor the National FFA Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event.

Each year, FFA students participating in this event challenge their skills and knowledge in a variety of team and individual events that test everything from soil and water analysis to developing measurable solutions to pressing environmental issues. The top eleven individuals and the national winning team members are awarded scholarships to further their education at a post-secondary institution of their choice.

FFA members who take top honors demonstrate they are serious about protecting the environment and our resources. We are proud to provide scholarships they can use toward an education to help achieve that goal.

For more information on the National FFA Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event, visit www.ffa.org.

"I would like to thank Smithfield Foods for sponsoring the National FFA Environmental and Natural Resources Career Development Event. Preparing for and competing in the event gave me a variety of skills and knowledge that will benefit my future. The $1000 scholarship is greatly appreciated, and will aid in my enrollment to Penn State University in the fall of 2010 where I will further my education in agriculture."

Taylor Helbig
Scholarship Recipient, Oley Valley FFA