In Virginia, Smithfield Foods, Inc., announced plans for an absolute 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions throughout its supply chain by 2025. The GHG emission reduction would be more than 4 million metric tons, about the same as removing 900,000 cars from the road. Smithfield collaborated with the University of Minnesota’s NorthStar Institute for Sustainable Enterprise to estimate its GHG footprint and collaborated with the Environmental Defense Fund in setting its goal.
This commitment impacts operations across Smithfield’s supply chain, on company-owned farms, at processing facilities and throughout its transportation network. Smithfield is collaborating with EDF to improve fertilizer efficiency and soil health to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from grain farms. On its hog farms, Smithfield will incorporate renewable energy by using anaerobic digesters and lagoon covers to capture and re-use methane gas. At its processing facilities, Smithfield will improve energy efficiency through refrigeration, boiler and other equipment upgrades.