Joseph W. Luter, III, Chairman and CEO of Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE: SFD), yesterday presented the following remarks at a meeting of the National Pork Producers Council: "Smithfield Foods believes a strong meatpacking industry benefits hog producers. By working together, producers and packers can deliver a consistent, high quality product that meets the increasingly stringent demands of our customers, be they the giant foodservice companies, consolidating food retailers, international markets, or individual shoppers looking for new, value-added meat products.