Smithfield Backs the US Label
US - Smithfield Foods is to use an American Born, Raised and Processed Label on all US fresh retail products.The company said that as a vertically integrated pork company, it owns or controls by contract a large share of the animals it processes in the United States.
This vertical integration provides an unparalleled level of traceability and food safety for Smithfield's customers and consumers, the company says and it also has robust procurement programmes based on independent swine producers that supply high quality, market ready pigs.
Smithfield says that this supply network enables it to offer its customers safe pork labeled as born, raised and processed in the USA in compliance with the soon to be effective Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (mCOOL) programme.
From April 2009 Smithfield intends to procure only hogs born and raised in the US for processing at its US fresh meat facilities and will label fresh pork for retail as born, raised and processed in the USA.
Smithfield says it expects that any independent producer, who wishes to be a valued supplier of live animals to Smithfield will work with the company between now and the end of March to create a fully documented and transparent supply of hogs born and raised in the USA.