Future of a Pork Giant in Sioux Falls

A big change is coming to downtown Sioux Falls. The city’s leaders and the head of Smithfield Foods said that the company will leave its old plant near Falls Park for a new, larger site in an industrial area up north. The current facility has been there since 1909 and was bought by Smithfield in 1995. It is the second biggest meat plant in the world and keeps about 3, 200 people working. The new location will cost roughly $1. 3 billion and cover 200 acres, about three miles from the Big Sioux River. Because of this distance, the plant will have less impact on the river’s water quality. Smithfield has already spent $45 million building a wastewater treatment plant at the old site, and it plans to use tax‑increment financing to fund a new system for the new campus. Smithfield’s operations are tied to many farmers in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. The plant uses around 20, 000 hogs a day, most of them from local independent farms. The company says the new plant will be the most modern pork facility in the United States and will help farmers grow corn and soybeans that feed the animals.The move also matters for the city’s future. The old 120‑acre site will become a redevelopment area that could double downtown space, thanks to a $50 million donation from billionaire Denny Sanford. Smaller nearby towns like Crooks will also feel the change, as the new plant sits on their borders. Environmentally, Smithfield has faced criticism for air and water pollution. It has been fined in the past for wastewater violations, but recent improvements have cut nitrate discharge by 47 percent. The new plant will use air‑scrubbing technology and be farther from the river, which should reduce its odor and pollution. Some experts say the move will only slightly improve river quality because upstream farms still contribute most of the runoff. Economically, the plant is a major contributor to Sioux Falls. In 2024 it paid $4. 4 million in taxes and about $200 million in wages. If Smithfield had moved out of state, the city could have lost billions, similar to what happened when a large beef plant closed in Nebraska. Overall, the shift reflects both growth and responsibility. The new facility promises more jobs, better environmental controls, and a chance to reimagine downtown space while keeping the pork industry alive in South Dakota.