Smithfield Foods CEO testifies before Senate committee on Shuanghui-Smithfield deal
C. Larry Pope, president and CEO of Smithfield Foods Inc., testified before the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry to review the benefits of the Shuanghui-Smithfield transaction for U.S. farmers and agriculture, while reaffirming the commitment to upholding the highest food safety standards. Pope explained the combined company's commitment to continuing to work with American producers and suppliers that have played an integral role in Smithfield's success:
"With respect to agriculture, we expect this transaction to drive growth and expansion not only for our growers, but for the entire U.S. pork industry,” he said in prepared testimony. “Smithfield Foods owns over 400 hog farms and has contracts with more than 2,000 family farmers across the country. Our agreement with Shuanghui will maintain all of these contracts and arrangements. Moreover, this transaction creates a terrific opportunity through growth in exports for U.S. hog farmers to expand production to meet the growing Chinese demand."