Erika Empting is the Associate Animal Welfare and PVP Manager for Smithfield Foods. In her current role, Erika provides oversight to not only to Smithfield's harvest facilities for animal welfare program implementation but also to the producers ensuring continued compliance with welfare standards and supply chain expectations.

Prior to this, Erika started her career in the food industry with Tyson Foods in the field of Food Safety and Quality Assurance. In 2011, Erika joined Smithfield Foods as a Food Safety Manager before transitioning into the world of animal welfare. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology.