2026 SPECIAL SESSION I

ENROLLED

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 2076

Commending Smithfield Foods.

Agreed to by the Senate, June 22, 2026

WHEREAS, Smithfield Foods, an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products headquartered in the historic Town of Smithfield, celebrates its 90th anniversary on September 16, 2026; and

WHEREAS, founded in 1936 by Joseph W. Luter, Sr., and Joseph W. Luter, Jr., as the Smithfield Packing Company, the business began as a modest ham-curing operation on Commerce Street; and

WHEREAS, over nine decades of operation, Smithfield Foods grew through generational leadership, notably under the guidance of the late corporate visionary and philanthropist Joseph W. Luter III, who transformed the business from a regional packer into the world's largest pork processor; and

WHEREAS, Smithfield Foods has remained a cornerstone of Virginia's economy, growing the Commonwealth's multi-billion-dollar livestock industry, providing markets for local grain producers, and creating prosperous livelihoods for thousands of Virginians; and

WHEREAS, Smithfield Foods has consistently championed philanthropic investments in the Commonwealth and across the country, investing millions of dollars annually to support core initiatives in hunger relief, education, veteran support, and commuity vitality; and

WHEREAS, Smithfield Foods has driven profound local impacts in the Commonwealth by providing essential funding to invaluable regional organizations, including the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank in Hampton, to fight regional food insecurity and support neighbors in need; and

WHEREAS, through its landmark "Helping Hungry Homes" hunger relief program, Smithfield Foods contributed more than 200 million protein servings to food banks between 2020 and 2025, ultimately crossing a historic milestone of more than 340 million servings donated since 2008; and

WHEREAS, demonstrating an industry-leading commitment to environmental stewardship, Smithfield Foods achieved an extraordinary 57 percent reduction in food loss and waste across its manufacturing facilities in the United States and optimized its East Coast transportation routes to eliminate more than one million miles in regional food delivery; now, therefore, be it; and

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Smithfield Foods hereby be commended on the occasion of its 90th anniversary of producing "Good food. Responsibly." and its legacy of achievements grounded in tradition, innovation, operational excellence, and community service; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Smithfield Foods as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the organization's role in the Commonwealth's vibrant economy and decades of leadership in the pork industry.