Hormel Foods Endorses National Pork Board’s PQA Plus®, TQA® Certifications

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) was one of the first companies to support the original Pork Quality Assurance® (PQA®) program by requiring producer participation. The company continues that tradition by supporting the "We Care” responsible pork initiative developed by the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council.

As a demonstration of that commitment, the company announced today that all hogs it purchases by Dec. 31, 2009, will be raised by pork producers and their employees who are certified in the PQA Plus® program. In addition, the company now requires all producers, employees of producers and individuals who transport hogs to the company to have Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA®) certification. Both programs were developed by the National Pork Board.

"These programs outline the highest production practices for the pork industry and are designed to focus on animal well-being and food safety,” said Brian Stevens, director of pork procurement, Hormel Foods. "Hormel Foods endorses these programs as part of our ongoing commitment to implement the highest-quality standards.”

National Pork Board’s PQA Plus® program is a three-part process, which includes attending an educational and training session as well as an on-farm site evaluation is necessary to achieve PQA Plus® site status. The program also includes a third component of random, statistically valid, third-party evaluation of available sites.

Each site that is delivering hogs to Hormel Foods must achieve site status to provide hogs to the company. This process includes an on-farm assessment of care and well-being principles. These principles and food safety practices are also the focus during the educational and training session taught by a PQA Plus® advisor (veterinarian, Extension personnel, adult agricultural educator). Additional information about National Pork Board programs can be found at www.pork.org.

"We are honored to fully support these pork industry initiatives,” Stevens said. "Pork producers care about retaining the public trust and they demonstrate this by doing things right through their ethical principles.”

About Hormel Foods

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, many of which are among the best known and trusted in the food industry. The company leverages its extensive expertise, innovation and high competencies in pork and turkey processing and marketing to bring quality, value-added brands to the global marketplace. In each of the past nine years, Hormel Foods was named one of "The 400 Best Big Companies in America” by Forbes magazine. The company enjoys a strong reputation among consumers, retail grocers, foodservice and industrial customers for products highly regarded for quality, taste, nutrition, convenience and value.

®Trademark of National Pork Board.