MIDWEST CITY, OKLA. — Seaboard Foods received the 2009 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Exporting at the 26th Annual Oklahoma World Trade Conference. Natalie Shirley, Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism presented the award to Duke Sand, Seaboard Foods vice-president of international sales.

In 2008, Seaboard Foods exported pork to 17 countries and has increased pork export volumes more than 20% annually since 2005. The top-five countries Seaboard Foods exported to in 2008 were Mexico, Japan, Hong Kong, Russia and Korea, respectively.

The company controls the entire pork production process from genetics to animal nutrition to animal care to processing and produces pork products tailored to the quality standards of specific export markets. Seaboard Foods’ pork plant in Guymon processes approximately 5.1 million head annually. Company-owned farms in Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Texas produce most of the hogs processed at the plant.

"From the beginning, our goal has been to find export markets where we can add value to our existing pork products and to develop new products which can add incremental value vs. our domestic sales alternatives" said Rod Brenneman, president and chief executive officer. "Our strategy in accomplishing this goal has been to provide export customers products they want, the way they want them and at prices that are of mutual value."

Seaboard Foods exports a full range of fresh and frozen pork products, including high-end bone-in and boneless pork loins, tenderloins, shoulder butts, shoulder picnics, ribs, hams and pork bellies. Variety meats, such as pigs feet, skins, tongues, trimmings, bones, ears and fat, and, offals, such as hearts, livers, glands, and intestines, are also large-volume export products.

"Basically, any product that can be harvested from a hog has been exported to some export market in one form or another by Seaboard Foods," Mr. Brenneman said. "We have achieved export success by sticking to our goal of creating additional value and always analyzing if our export activities meet these criteria. Seaboard Foods is honored to receive this award for excellence in exporting."

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