Smithfield Foods Isle of Wight’s biggest industry provider dates back to 1936 when Joseph W. Luter, Sr. and his son, Joseph W. Luter, Jr., opened their Smithfield Packing plant in Smithfield, Virginia. In October of 2003, Smithfield acquired Farmland Foods, Inc., the sixth largest pork processor in the U.S. producing 1 billion pounds of fresh pork and 500 million pounds of processed meat under the Farmland, Carando, Ohse, and Roegelein brands. Farmland Foods is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Smithfield
Foods’ sales topped $9 billion for fiscal 2004, with beef accounting for 26 percent of the total. International sales reached $650 million. In addition, Isle of Wight contains 350 farms in which farmers grow many crops such as soybeans, cotton, corn, peanuts, potatoes and much more. Every year Isle of Wight has a county fair where farmers get the opportunity to show off their crops and livestock to the community. The fair also features concerts, rides such as the ferris wheel as well lots of food for everyone.
Isle of Wight is an ideal location for people wanting the hustle and bustle of city life for their work day and the peace and tranquility of rural life for their home. Discover the historical charm of Smithfield’s main street. A drive around the county is an adventure with discoveries of brightly painted barns, quaint, general stores and beautifully wooded areas. Nestled within are custom homes, single-family and mulit-family communities and unique older residences.
There are many award winning communities in Isle of Wight among these are Gatling Pointe which has a full service yacht club and 68 slip marina. Cypress Creek, a premier golfing community located just inside Smithfield. Additionally, Eagle Harbor an award winning East West Community located just a couple miles away from the James River Bridge.
Size: 319 sq miles
Population (2004 est.) $45,387
Major Industries:
Union Camp, Smithfield Foods, Norfolk Southern, Franklin Equipment, Monette Information Systems
