Source:  Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 6/8/09

Smithfield Foods Inc. has had some success in pushing back on what it calls a potentially "false" and "libelous" documentary that has been shown in the United Kingdom. Organizations have cancelled some screenings and reportedly the film has been re-edited since its original presentation, apparently to address some of Smithfield's concerns.

According to its Web site, "Pig Business" looks at the "true cost of cheap meat." Made by U.K. activist Tracy Worcester, Marchioness of Worcester, it is critical of the practices of intensive hog farming in the U.S., U.K. and Eastern Europe.

Smithfield is one of the companies on which the film focuses. In an e-mail statement to Meatingplace, a company spokesman says Smithfield cooperated with film producers, "granting a 90-minute interview with one of our vice presidents and responding to numerous written follow-up questions."

"Because many of their questions largely consisted of baseless allegations framed as questions, we were concerned about the film's veracity," the spokesman says.

Alerted to concerns

Based on reports of the film's content when it was screened for a small audience in the U.K. in November, Smithfield contacted organizations that planned subsequent showings, including British TV channel More4.

"With counsel's assistance, we alerted More4 to our concerns that 'Pig Business' may contain numerous false and libelous allegations in violation of UK law, which may expose them to liability as a broadcaster. In addition, we believed that the film also violated UK law's requirement that broadcasters 'avoid unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes.' We also supplied More4 with extensive evidence of the falsity of numerous allegations and of the failure to treat us and the subject matter fairly," Smithfield's spokesman said.

More4 subsequently cancelled its showing, and two other screenings of "Pig Business" in the U.K. also have been cancelled. The company, however, "never threatened the film's producers, More4 or any other broadcaster, venue or person with legal action. We simply raised our concerns about the film's content and its failure to comply with UK law."

The film's producers could not be reached for comment.

A later version

Smithfield's spokesman adds that company representatives have viewed a later version of the film, and, "In our estimation, the film has been significantly revised—by as much as 60 percent, with the revisions focused on casting its allegations as beliefs while making greater use of our interview and written responses.

"At this point, we have not taken any steps to respond to the current version of the film even though we believe that the film does not provide an accurate portrayal of our company and the industry."

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