date:Mar 17, 2014
Smithfield Foods Inc, the world's largest pork processor, suspended hog slaughter at its Tar Heel, North Carolina, plant on Friday because of the spread of the deadly Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) which has tightened hog supplies, industry sources said.
The Tar Heel plant, the company's largest pork processing facility, reduced its slaughter schedule this week to four days from five days, said the sources, who have knowledge of the plant's operations and hog purchases. They requested a