When it comes to animal welfare policies and processes, count on us to lead the way. In fact, we're recognized by the world’s foremost experts in animal well-being as setting the standard for America's pork industry—and we're applying those same best practices to our global operations.
"Working with our customers, we are pleased to be taking this precedent-setting step. During our 70 years in business we have always been sensitive to the concerns and needs of our customers, and they have told us they feel group housing is a more animal-friendly form of sow housing."
C. Larry Pope
President and Chief Executive Officer
Smithfield Foods, Inc.
Landmark Gestation Stall Policy
Beginning in 2007 and continuing over the next 10 years, our hog production subsidiary Murphy-Brown will move to using group pens for housing pregnant sows. The process will phase out individual gestation stalls on all company-owned sow farms in favor of group housing. We are also working with our contract growers regarding system conversion.
Smithfield Foods based its decision on initial results from its own three-year study into sow housing to determine the impact such a switch would have on sows. Preliminary results showed that group housing arrangements work as well as gestation stalls in providing sows with proper care during their pregnancies. This landmark decision further evidences our commitment to industry leadership.
Read what The Washington Post and The New York Times had to say about our landmark gestation stall announcement.