Smithfield Foods' CEO says he hopes that everything the company has done to make working in its plants more attractive ever since COVID tore through the industry during the pandemic

(Reuters) - Smithfield Foods does not plan to close more U.S. pork processing plants, Chief Executive Shane Smith said on Tuesday, as the company returned to a U.S. exchange after more than a decade in a spinoff by Hong Kong-based WH Group.

Smithfield Foods wants to be seen as America’s pork champion after more than a decade under Chinese ownership. Its goal may rely on how the Trump administration manages trade ties with Beijing. Smithfield shares were up 2% to $20.

This story incorporates reporting from Virginia Business, Investopedia on MSN.com and MSN.Smithfield Foods successfully raised $522 million through its initial public offering listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Smithfield Foods Inc. shares rose about 2% in the pork producer’s return to being a public company, after the stock priced below the range offered in its IPO.Most Read from BloombergTexas HOA Charged

Listen to this article Smithfield Foods officials rang the opening bell Tuesday at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City, as the packaged meat and fresh pork giant launched its initial public offering of 26 million stock shares at $20 per share on the Nasdaq Global Select Market,

Smithfield Foods, the largest pork processor in the country, announced it will not close additional plants as it focuses on growth following its initial public offering (IPO), CEO Shane Smith said Tuesday.