Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

(a) Disclosure Controls and Procedures.

As of the end of the period covered by this report (the Evaluation Date), the Company carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)). In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. Based on that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of the Evaluation Date, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective to provide reasonable assurance that information the Company is required to disclose in reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) Internal Controls.

There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the third quarter of fiscal 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

The Company is a party to various legal proceedings related to the ongoing operation of its business, including claims both by and against the Company. At any time, such proceedings typically involve claims related to product liability, labeling, contracts, antitrust regulations, intellectual property, competition laws, employment practices, or other actions brought by employees, customers, consumers, competitors, or suppliers. The Company establishes accruals for its potential exposure, as appropriate, for claims against the Company when losses become probable and reasonably estimable. However, future developments or settlements are uncertain and may require the Company to change such accruals as proceedings progress. Resolution of any currently known matters, either individually or in the aggregate, is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.

The Company is a defendant in four sets of antitrust lawsuits broadly targeting the pork and turkey industries. None of these cases involve allegations of bid rigging or other criminal conduct. The Company has not established reserves as it does not believe it will have liability in any of these cases.

On August 15, 2023, the Company received an unexpected, unfavorable arbitration ruling involving an isolated commercial dispute with a third party. Pursuant to the ruling, the arbitrator awarded $59.6 million in damages, plus prejudgment interest of $5.3 million and attorneys’ fees, to the counterparty payable by the Company. The estimated pre-tax impact of the adverse arbitration ruling of $70.0 million is reflected in operating expense and accrued liabilities in the fiscal 2023 third quarter financial statements. The adverse arbitration ruling is not subject to further appeal or judicial review. Standard confidentiality provisions in the arbitration rules prohibit the Company from commenting on the substance of the ruling. Refer to Note I - Commitments and Contingencies for additional information.