RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- C. Larry Pope, president and chief operating officer of Smithfield Foods, Inc. today called upon the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union ("UFCW") to hold a vote at the company's Tar Heel, N.C. facility. Speaking to shareholders at the company's annual meeting, held here today, Mr. Pope said: "Smithfield's policy regarding unions and union elections is clear: we fully support our employees' right to choose and we have always abided by their decisions. Unions, including the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, or UFCW, and its alliance, Change to Win, already represent employees at a number of our plants and have done so for a number of years without any labor conflict. In fact, 57 percent of Smithfield's U.S. employees at pork processing plants already are represented by a union. On June 29, 2006, Joseph W. Luter, IV, president of Smithfield Packing Company, sent a letter to UFCW President Joe Hansen urging the union to schedule an election by secret ballot and recommending that a neutral third- party oversee the voting process to ensure a fair and objective election. To date, our proposal has not been met with a meaningful response. Rather than work with Smithfield in scheduling a new election, the UFCW has instead chosen to accelerate its public relations campaign that attacks the integrity of our company, our products and certain of our officials. This is a campaign that hurts no one more than our employees and our investors. Worse, it is a campaign that diverts attention from the very people that the union purports it wants want to help, our employees. We are asking for a vote by the workers at our Tar Heel plant by traditional secret ballot. That shouldn't surprise most of you in the audience, for this is a time-honored tradition. This is the way that the citizens of America have elected their public officials for the last 250 years. What better way to let each individual speak? The union doesn't want this. They want to provide us with signed cards, unauthorized, of alleged 'employees' who want a union. That is not fair. As you have all seen, Change to Win and UFCW representatives and their allies are here today. I hope that their presence will enable them to respond to a very simple question: When will you schedule this election that you have demanded? We are more than ready to bring your case to the employees of Tar Heel. So, Mr. Hansen, rather than talk the talk, how about walking the walk? Set the date for an election by secret ballot and agree to a neutral, third party to oversee the election." At the meeting, shareholders also re-elected Joseph W. Luter, III and Wendell H. Murphy as directors for a three-year term until the 2009 annual meeting and elected Mr. Pope to the board for a term that also runs until the 2009 annual meeting. Mr. Pope will become the company's chief executive officer on September 1, 2006, when Mr. Luter steps down as CEO. At that time, Mr. Luter will become the company's chairman of the board. Shareholders also voted to approve the Performance Award component of the company's 1998 Stock Incentive Plan and ratified the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as the company's independent auditors for the fiscal year ending April 29, 2007. Shareholders rejected three shareholder proposals. Smithfield Foods has delivered a 24 percent average annual compounded rate of return to investors since 1975. With sales of $11 billion, Smithfield is the leading processor and marketer of fresh pork and processed meats in the United States, as well as the largest producer of hogs. For more information, visit http://www.smithfieldfoods.com/. This news release may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The forward-looking information may include statements concerning the company's outlook for the future, as well as other statements of beliefs, future plans and strategies or anticipated events, and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking information and statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks and uncertainties include availability and prices of livestock, raw materials and supplies, livestock costs, product pricing, the competitive environment and related market conditions, operating efficiencies, access to capital, the cost of compliance with environmental and health standards, adverse results from ongoing litigation and actions of domestic and foreign governments. Contact: Jerry Hostetter Smithfield Foods, Inc. (212) 758-2100 DATASOURCE: Smithfield Foods, Inc. CONTACT: Jerry Hostetter of Smithfield Foods, Inc., +1-212-758-2100,

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