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| Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 30, 2009 |
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|                                                                      |
|                                                                      |
| 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 |
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|   | 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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| Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
|-----------|------------------------------------|

|   | 99.1 | Description of Incentive Award granted to George H. Richter. |
|--------|------|--------------------------------------------------------------|

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|                  | SMITHFIELD FOODS, INC.                            |
|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
|                  |                                              |   |
|                  |                                              |   |
|                  |                                              |   |
| Date: October 6, 2009 | /s/ Michael H. Cole                               |   |
|                  | Michael H. Cole                                   |
|                  | Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary |

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| Exhibit 99.1 | Description of Incentive Award granted to George H. Richter. |
|--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|

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