The world's largest pork producer intends to slash its carbon emissions in coming years in an effort to both cut costs and improve its environmental reputation.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Smithfield Foods hopes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent over the next eight years.
The Virginia-based meatpacker, in particular, plans to more than triple the number of anaerobic digester systems that convert methane from its hog farms into electricity or natural gas that can be sold to local utilities.
The company also plans to help farmers avoid applying too much fertilizer to their fields as well as optimize their trucking routes.
Each step could ultimately help reduce energy costs, but Smithfield officials also noted that consumers are often willing to pay more for products made in an environmentally responsible manner.
Smithfield worked with the Environmental Defense Fund on its plan, which the advocacy group called the most ambitious to date by a U.S. meat producer.
The meat industry is generally a target for environmental groups; the White House estimated that agriculture accounts for more than one-third of the country's carbon emissions and that meat accounts for the largest share.
President-elect Donald Trump pledged to curtail environmental regulations on the campaign trail, but Smithfield said that its efforts are "apolitical" and the "right thing" to do.
“Everyone is more sensitive to these issues these days, including our customers,” CEO Ken Sullivan told the Journal.
