EX-24.POA 2 rrd194244_219085.htm POWER OF ATTORNEY

rrd194244_219085.html

POWER OF ATTORNEY
       Know all men by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints Michael H. Cole and Darcy G. McKenzie, or either of them, with full power to each
of them to act alone, as the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, to:
execute in the undersigned's name and on the undersigned's behalf and submit to the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a Form ID, including amendments thereto,
and any other documents necessary or appropriate to obtain codes and passwords enabling
the undersigned to make electronic filings with the SEC of reports required by Section 16(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or any rule or regulation of the SEC promulgated
thereunder; execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity as
an officer and/or director of Smithfield Foods, Inc., a Virginia corporation (the "Company"),
any and all Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder;do and
perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned that may be necessary or
desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, complete and execute any
amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such form or amendment with the SEC
and any stock exchange or similar authority; and take any other action of any type
whatsoever in connection with the foregoing that, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,
may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such
terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's
discretion. The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary,
or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully
to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if personally present, with
full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that neither the Company nor any of these
attorneys is assuming, nor shall any of them be responsible for, the undersigned's obligation
to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the rules and
regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.This Power of Attorney shall remain in full
force and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with
respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the
Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power
of Attorney to be executed as of this 22nd. day of August, 2008.
       					/s/David C. Nelson
       					___________________________
						Signature
       					David C. Nelson
						Printed Name