The acquisition made the newly consolidated JBS Swift Group the largest beef processor in the world.

"This is where it all started," said Mr. Phelan, who made his fortune as a cattle farmer and beef processor in Europe.

Occidental Petroleum will sell its stake in IBP, a beef processor, to stockholders and, if necessary, to other investors.

Irish beef processors are being encouraged to set up finishing plants in Britain and on the Continent.

Together, these made the Smithfield Beef Group the nation's fifth-largest beef processor.

But even the nation's largest beef processor has reservations.

National Beef is the nation's fourth largest beef processor with sales exceeding $6 billion annually.

Mr. Brookins is a beef processor.

It is also the largest beef processor in Australia.

Although pork and poultry processors have started including nutrition information, beef processors have not, nor have supermarkets.