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Smithfield harnesses renewable energy

The head of Smithfield Renewables says harnessing methane gases has the potential to enhance the economics of pork production while improving the environment.

“I think across agriculture, you’ve got to look at opportunities to provide additional revenue sources and really capture things of value from your waste products, or from manure, that would add to the economics of your business.”

Senior director Kraig Westerbeek tells Brownfield Smithfield has been researching how to capture energy from manure for the past two decades.  “We feel like a lot of things have come together to allow us to really move forward with trying to capture that energy value of those methane emissions from our facilities and turn that into a renewable energy source.”

He says contract pork producers and Smithfield are partnering on projects in Missouri, North Carolina and Utah which will produce a significant amount of renewable natural gas as part of the company’s plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 25 percent by 2025.

AUDIO: Interview with Kraig Westerbeek