Smithfield Packing Company was founded in 1936 by Joseph W. Luter and his son Joseph W. Luter, Jr. in the Town of Smithfield along a tributary of the James River in Isle of Wight County, Virginia to produce Smithfield hams. 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Smithfield is a town located in Isle of Wight County, in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States. ... The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 547. ... Location in the state of Virginia Formed 1634 Seat Isle of Wight Area  - Total  - Water 940 km² (363 mi²) 121 km² (47 mi²) 12. ... Smithfield ham is a variety of cured ham from the United States, associated with Smithfield, Virginia. ...

In 1962, with Smithfield already on its way to becoming the "Ham Capital of the World", Joseph W. Luter III became the company's leader. Expanding the plant's facilities and product line became the key to a growth cycle that promoted Smithfield Packing Company from a family business into a large, investor-owned and publicly traded company. Today the company retains its family heritage and has become a worldwide marketer of pork products, the largest subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, a Fortune 500 company, and one of America's largest meat companies. It also owns the largest slaughterhouse in the world. Smithfield Foods Inc. has also received the nations largest water quality violation fine of $1.2 million dollars. Hormel Pork Loin Filets Roasted pork knuckle This article is on meat. ... The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ...

In 1997 the Smithfield workers in Tar Heel, North Carolina held union elections. Smithfield Foods operates with its own armed police force with authority to arrest and detain workers on its property. The company police force armed and with riot gear surrounded the plant on election day. After the vote union supporters were physically assaulted and falsely arrested by the Bladen County Sheriff's Deputies. The National Labor Relations board found Smithfield guilty of "egregious violations of federal labor law." The Adminstrative Law Judge found that Smithfield engaged in repeated labor law violations, but lacks the authority to impose fines on companies that violate labor laws. Assaulted workers are still awaiting backpay from the Administrative Law Judge.