Smithfield Foods, Inc., an industry leader in value-added packaged meats and fresh pork and member of Food Shippers of America (FSA), recently announced it has initiated the approval process to build a new state-of-the-art packaged meats and fresh pork processing facility in Sioux Falls, SD.

The new facility, which is subject to permitting and other regulatory and design approvals, will be built in Foundation Park, a 1,000+-acre heavy industrial park located in northwest Sioux Falls, and will replace Smithfield’s existing plant, which has played a central role in the regional economy for more than 100 years. The company currently employs 3,200 people in Sioux Falls, providing $200 million in wages annually, and supports thousands of indirect jobs in agriculture and other sectors.

Smithfield’s preliminary estimate of the proposed investment is up to $1.3 billion over the next three years. The investment is contingent on securing required permits and other regulatory approvals as well as approval of the final facility design by Smithfield’s board of directors.

The proposed combined fresh pork and packaged meats facility will be the most modern of its kind in the U.S., with highly efficient process flow, advanced automation technology and a streamlined design. The new, best-in-class facility will deliver significant efficiency gains to Smithfield’s fresh pork and high-value packaged meats operations.

Making It All Happen in South Dakota

Smithfield has worked in partnership with South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden, Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken and the Sioux Falls Development Foundation on the opportunity to build the new facility outside of downtown Sioux Falls. The new facility will support independent hog farmers, corn and soybean producers and other agricultural sectors that fuel the pork supply chain in South Dakota and the surrounding region.

“This highly automated facility will represent a major investment in Sioux Falls, the state of South Dakota and the future of American agriculture,” says Shane Smith, President and CEO of Smithfield Foods. “Smithfield’s investment supports our long-term strategy of continuing to grow and optimize our value-added packaged meats and fresh pork operations to deliver innovation, convenience and value to our customers.”

“Food security equals national security, so food production and processing will continue to play a vital role in South Dakota’s economy," says Governor Larry Rhoden. "Smithfield’s proposed investment in South Dakota opens up greater opportunity for our state to expand livestock production, and the company’s decision to relocate from downtown Sioux Falls opens up the opportunity to revitalize the downtown riverfront. This is a win-win-win-win for producers, the company, the city, and the state of South Dakota.”

If approved, Smithfield’s new state-of-the-art facility will be constructed in Foundation Park, the state’s largest industrial park, at the intersection of Interstates 29 and 90 in Sioux Falls. Site work is expected to begin at the new location in the spring of 2026 with initial groundbreaking anticipated in the first half of 2027 and production expected to begin at the end of 2028.

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