Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Thamodaran Dhamu R.
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
09/21/2011		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SMITHFIELD FOODS INC [SFD]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
200 COMMERCE STREET		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

SMITHFIELD, VA 23460		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
common stock, par value $.50 20,284 (1)
D
 
common stock, par value $.50 5,616.23
I
shares held in 401k of reporting person
common stock, par value $.50 391.72
I
shares held in 401k of reporting persons's spouse
common stock, par value $.50 1,000
I
shares in cusdotial trust for daughter

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 06/14/2018 common stock 20,000 $ 20.57 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 06/21/2017 common stock 20,000 $ 15.43 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 07/06/2016 common stock 15,000 $ 13.3 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 06/16/2013 06/16/2018 common stock 10,000 $ 23.75 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 06/11/2012 06/11/2017 common stock 25,000 $ 32.4 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 06/02/2010 06/02/2015 common stock 3,000 $ 31.86 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy) 05/24/2009 05/24/2014 common stock 15,000 $ 30 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Thamodaran Dhamu R.
200 COMMERCE STREET
SMITHFIELD, VA 23460		       Executive Vice President  

Signatures

/s/ Michael H. Cole, as attorney-in-fact 09/30/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Of these shares, 5,000 will vest on June 15, 2012, pursuant to the terms of a grant of performance share units granted by the Company under the Company's 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan.
(2) The options vest ratably over three years beginning June 14, 2012.
(3) The options vest ratably over three years beginning June 21, 2011.
(4) The options vest ratably over three years beginning July 6, 2010.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.