Smithfield Foods Shareholders to Vote on Chinese Takeover

Sep 23, 2013

Smithfield Foods Shareholders to Vote on Chinese Takeover

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

Smithfield Foods investors will vote Tuesday on the company’s sale to a Chinese company – Shuanghui International Holdings Ltd.

The pending $7.1 billion purchase would offer $34 per-share for Smithfield shareholders. If approved by investors, the transaction will take effect on Thursday. If the deal is approved, it would be the largest acquisition of a U.S. business by a Chinese company.

If shareholders approve the takeover, Smithfield will become a private company, which will mean less public disclosure on certain items such as audited financial statements. The company will still have to submit tax returns and federal government regulations. Analysts say that they think the transaction will go.

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.