What is the Smithfield Agreement?

    On July 25, 2000, the North Carolina Attorney General and Smithfield Foods, Inc, and its subsidiary companies (Browns of Carolina, Carrolls Foods, Murphy Family Farms, Carrolls Foods of Virginia, and Quarter M Farms), agreed to a legally binding agreement to develop and implement new technology that will protect the environment and the economy. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will be required to pay $15 million to North Carolina State University for the development of new technologies to replace open-air lagoon and sprayfield systems. Experts at NCSU will identify, develop and test environmentally superior technologies. Five full scale projects will begin immediately with more to follow within six months. The project completion date must not exceed two years. Once new technologies are identified, companies will convert their facilities and phase out the current lagoons and sprayfield systems within three years. Smithfield will provide the technical and financial assistance needed for their contract farmers to convert to the new technology.

    Smithfield and its subsidiary companies will pay $50 million over the next 25 years to enhance the environment. The companies will take immediate action such as: 1) identify farm lagoons and buildings in flood plains and draw up and implement steps to protect the waters of the state, 2) identify "at-risk" (deficient site conditions or operating practices) facilities and draw up and implement plans to clean them up, 3) identify wetlands and natural areas located on farms and draw up and implement plans to protect them, 4) identify abandoned lagoons and draw up and implement plans to close them, and 5) adopt an accredited environmental management system for their facilities. The companies will play a leadership role in enhancing the effectiveness of the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program and help establish a permanent program to protect water quality in Eastern North Carolina.

    Up to $2 million may be used to implement and monitor compliance with the agreement. Violations of the agreement are enforceable through the courts.

      The first 5 full-scale demonstration projects/technologies:
      • Aerobic Upflow Biofilter
      • Constructed Wetland - J.C. Howard Farm, Onslow County, NC
      • Covered Earthen Anaerobic (mesophyllic) Digester - Barham Farm, Zebulon, NC
      • Sequencing Batch Reactor
      • Thermophyllic Anaerobic Digester
       
    View the Smithfield Agreement