Smithfield Foods Inc. announced this week that construction of a low-pressure natural gas transmission line connecting a Smithfield hog farm located in northern Missouri with the city of Milan’s natural gas pipeline has been completed. Renewable natural gas produced at the hog farm will be directly injected into the natural gas transmission line flowing into Milan’s natural gas distribution system prior to delivery, the company said.

Smithfield’s “manure-to-energy” projects in Missouri are part of Smithfield Renewables, the company’s platform to unify and accelerate its carbon reduction and renewable energy efforts, and are key to achieving its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2025.

“As we work to expand our manure-to-energy projects nationwide, it is inspiring to witness the fruition of our renewable energy efforts in Missouri,” said Kraig Westerbeek, senior director of Smithfield Renewables and hog production environmental affairs. “We are proud that these efforts allow the locations we call home to contribute to a sustainable energy future while curbing our carbon footprint.”

Smithfield installed infrastructure to capture methane emissions from its northern Missouri hog farms and convert them into pipeline-quality natural gas through its Monarch Bioenergy joint venture with Roeslein Alternative Energy.

“We are proud that Smithfield calls Milan home and grateful for the company’s positive impact on our community, providing residents with more than 1,100 jobs,” Milan mayor Andy Herington said. “Smithfield’s leadership in producing renewable energy in innovative ways further strengthens our community and provides us with more flexibility to meet the energy needs of our residents and businesses.”

The project is part of Smithfield Renewables’ nationwide expansion, which the company announced last year. Over the next 10 years, Smithfield will implement manure-to-energy projects across 90% of its hog finishing spaces in North Carolina, Utah and Virginia and nearly all of its hog finishing spaces in Missouri.