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| Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 16, 2009 |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                 |
|                                                                 |
| SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.                                               |
|                                                                 |

|   | Virginia                                       |   | 1-15321                  |   | 52-0845861                              |   |
|--------|------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------|--------|
|   | (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |   | (Commission File Number) |   |  (IRS Employer Identification No.) |   |

|   | 200 Commerce StreetSmithfield, Virginia        |   | 23430            |   |
|--------|------------------------------------------------|--------|------------------|--------|
|   |  (Address of principal executive offices) |   |  (Zip Code) |   |

| Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (757) 365-3000 |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | o | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
|--------|---|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | o | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
|--------|---|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | o | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
|--------|---|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | o | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
|--------|---|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

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|   | (d) | Exhibits |
|--------|-----|----------|

|   | Exhibit 1.1  | Underwriting Agreement, dated September 16, 2009, by and between the Company and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as managers, on behalf of themselves and the several other underwriters. |
|--------|--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   | Exhibit 5.1  | Opinion of Hogan & Hartson LLP regarding the legality of the securities offered.                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|   | Exhibit 23.1 | Consent of Hogan & Hartson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|   | Exhibit 99.1 | Press release, dated September 17, 2009, announcing the pricing of the offering of common stock in an underwritten public offering.                                                                                                                                                              |

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|                     | SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.                                      |
|--------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|                     |                                                        |   |
|                     |                                                        |   |
|                     |                                                        |   |
| Date: September 21, 2009 | /s/ Michael H. Cole                                         |   |
|                     | Michael H. Cole                                             |
|                     | Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |

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|   | Exhibit 1.1  | Underwriting Agreement, dated September 16, 2009, by and between the Company and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Barclays Capital Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., as managers, on behalf of themselves and the several other underwriters. |
|--------|--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   | Exhibit 5.1  | Opinion of Hogan & Hartson LLP regarding the legality of the securities offered.                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|   | Exhibit 23.1 | Consent of Hogan & Hartson LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|   | Exhibit 99.1 | Press release, dated September 17, 2009, announcing the pricing of the offering of common stock in an underwritten public offering.                                                                                                                                                              |

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