Smithfield Foods to build US$1.3B pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Relocation follows operational shifts in Massachusetts and downtown Sioux Falls redevelopment prospects
USA – Smithfield Foods Inc. revealed plans on February 16 to replace its downtown Sioux Falls pork processing plant with a new US$1.3 billion facility focused on packaged meats and fresh pork production.
The new plant is slated for Foundation Park, a 1,000-acre industrial site on the northwest side of Sioux Falls, near the junction of Interstates 29 and 90, where it will join an Amazon distribution hub and a CJ Foods frozen-food plant under construction.
Smithfield currently employs 3,200 workers in Sioux Falls, with annual payroll reaching US$200 million.
Site preparation at Foundation Park is expected to start in spring 2026, with groundbreaking anticipated in the first half of 2027 and full production projected to begin by the end of 2028.
Philanthropist T. Denny Sanford, founder of First Premier Bank, will contribute US$50 million toward the project, according to a city statement on YouTube.
The project requires regulatory permits and approvals, as well as final design approval from Smithfield’s board of directors.
Shane Smith, Smithfield’s president and CEO, said the facility will be highly automated and part of the company’s ongoing focus on packaged meats and fresh pork operations.
Smithfield coordinated the project with South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation.
Governor Rhoden described the investment as a means to expand livestock production in the state and noted that relocating the downtown plant could open redevelopment opportunities for the city’s riverfront.
Mayor TenHaken highlighted the century-long presence of Smithfield in Sioux Falls and said the new plant would secure jobs and support the regional agriculture economy for future generations.
Earlier in 2026, Smithfield announced it would close its Springfield, Massachusetts, dry sausage and charcuterie plant, ending operations in August with roughly 190 employees affected.
Production from Springfield will move to other Smithfield packaged meat facilities capable of meeting quality and output requirements.
The Springfield closure follows a 60-day Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Career Services, in line with state regulations.
Smithfield emphasized that the shutdown is unrelated to its recent acquisition of Nathan’s Famous hot dog products and reflects internal operational planning across its packaged meats business.
The Massachusetts plant specializes in value-added meat products rather than primary pork processing, demonstrating the company’s strategy to adjust production locations based on labor availability and facility efficiency.
Smithfield maintains a network of processing plants across the U.S. and internationally and stated it will provide support to employees affected by the Springfield plant closure.
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