Industry · Form 5500 business code 311610
Animal Slaughtering and Processing: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
122 retirement plans in animal slaughtering and processing with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (106 defined contribution, 16 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 354,199 participant records and $11.2B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $25,500 per participant, well below the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $1,204 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $77.29 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $287M and participants $390M during the year, and the plans paid out $1.09B in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 155 plans with $3.27B; by 2024 it was 122 plans (down 21%) and $11.2B (up 243%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $25,500 | $53,031 | $45,966 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,204 | $2,174 | $2,530 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $77.29 | $123 | $193 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.35% | 0.26% | 0.53% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $74.65 | $116 | $283 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (101 DC and 15 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $13,374 | $25,500 | $44,108 | 101 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $691 | $1,204 | $1,952 | 97 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $37.68 | $77.29 | $126 | 94 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $35.12 | $74.65 | $129 | 99 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025partial | 16 | 40,090 | $2.86B | $52.9M | $106M | $37,845 | $59.24 |
| 2024 | 122 | 354,199 | $11.2B | $287M | $390M | $25,500 | $77.29 |
| 2023 | 127 | 343,201 | $10.4B | $257M | $362M | $24,872 | $77.74 |
| 2022 | 140 | 342,456 | $9.41B | $178M | $290M | $20,439 | $76.68 |
| 2021 | 141 | 288,242 | $10.3B | $212M | $278M | $20,611 | $74.78 |
| 2020 | 138 | 317,797 | $11.1B | $207M | $289M | $20,693 | $58.04 |
| 2019 | 141 | 318,737 | $10.0B | $388M | $253M | $16,314 | $47.69 |
| 2018 | 146 | 309,093 | $8.83B | $310M | $236M | $14,356 | $53.43 |
| 2017 | 138 | 298,932 | $8.63B | $257M | $206M | $16,679 | $44.43 |
| 2016 | 142 | 322,803 | $8.31B | $189M | $207M | $14,584 | $35.47 |
| 2015 | 140 | 294,055 | $7.48B | $383M | $167M | $14,656 | $29.81 |
| 2014 | 139 | 233,217 | $6.25B | $273M | $136M | $14,318 | $34.99 |
| 2013 | 139 | 252,003 | $6.72B | $338M | $126M | $14,365 | $32.26 |
| 2012 | 138 | 235,356 | $5.03B | $115M | $116M | $11,566 | $33.66 |
| 2011 | 145 | 253,189 | $5.29B | $172M | $110M | $11,109 | $36.35 |
| 2010 | 158 | 254,639 | $5.21B | $339M | $103M | $10,917 | $31.05 |
| 2009 | 155 | 201,754 | $3.27B | $116M | $108M | $8,307 | $27.54 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 123 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 40 largest by participants of 123 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilgrim's Pride Retirement Savings Plan | Pilgrim's Pride Corporation | CO | DC | 49,561 | $478M | $9,649 | $207 | $11.02 |
| JBS 401(k) Savings Plan | JBS USA Food Company Holdings | CO | DC | 45,920 | $680M | $14,804 | $352 | $22.62 |
| Smithfield Foods Salaried Pension Plan | Smithfield Foods, Inc. | VA | DB | 22,669 | $1.35B | $59,737 | $6,206 | — |
| Retail, Wholesale & Department Store International Union and Industry Pension Fund | Board of Trustees of Retail Wholesale & Dept Store | AL | DB | 20,129 | $619M | $30,735 | $5,334 | $79.87 |
| Smithfield Foods Hourly Pension Plan | Smithfield Foods, Inc. | VA | DB | 13,275 | $194M | $14,582 | $2,397 | — |
| Hormel Foods Corporation Pension Plan | Hormel Foods Corporation | MN | DB | 11,782 | $1.04B | $87,954 | — | $112 |
| Mountaire Corporation & Subsidiaries Retirement Plan | Mountaire Corporation | AR | DC | 10,619 | $440M | $41,424 | $3,788 | $81.19 |
| Simmons Foods, Inc. 401(k) Retirement and Trust Plan | Simmons Foods, Inc. | AR | DC | 9,622 | $187M | $19,423 | $935 | $35.53 |
| Jennie-O Turkey Store Retirement Savings Plan | Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. | MN | DC | 7,699 | $291M | $37,845 | $266 | $34.81 |
| Hormel Foods Corporation Hourly Employees' Pension Plan | Hormel Foods Corporation | MN | DB | 7,634 | $351M | $45,966 | — | $120 |
| Butterball, LLC Salary & Hourly 401(k) Plan | Butterball, LLC | NC | DC | 7,544 | $156M | $20,628 | $736 | $28.34 |
| The Pssi 401(k) Plan & Trust | Packers Sanitation Serivces, Inc. | WI | DC | 7,531 | $30.9M | $4,097 | $75 | $44.45 |
| Hormel Foods Corporation Tax Deferred Investment Plan a * | Hormel Foods Corporation | MN | DC | 6,768 | $1.28B | $188,433 | $4,345 | $59.24 |
| National Beef Union 401(k) Plan | National Beef Packing Company, LLC | MO | DC | 6,114 | $23.8M | $3,889 | $147 | $13.52 |
| Darling Ingredients Inc. Salaried 401(k) Savings Plan | Darling Ingredients Inc. | TX | DC | 6,051 | $237M | $39,128 | $298 | $48.01 |
| Capital Accumulation Plan | Rochelle Foods, LLC | IL | DC | 5,887 | $210M | $35,598 | $1,278 | $43.18 |
| Hormel Foods Corporation Joint Earnings Profit Sharing Trust | Hormel Foods Corporation | MN | DC | 5,674 | $418M | $73,685 | $1,589 | $27.70 |
| U.F.C.W. District Union Local Two & Employers Pension Fund | Trustees of U.F.C.W. District Union Local Two & Employers Pension Fund | FL | DB | 5,241 | $192M | $36,618 | $2,362 | $208 |
| National Beef 401(k) Plan | National Beef Packing Company, LLC | MO | DC | 5,130 | $131M | $25,500 | $933 | $37.49 |
| Amick Farms, LLC 401(k) Plan | Amick Farms, LLC | SC | DC | 4,944 | $59.0M | $11,935 | $1,287 | $57.04 |
| Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc. 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan | Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc. | FL | DC | 4,789 | $194M | $40,490 | $2,448 | $22.94 |
| Darling Ingredients Inc. Hourly and Bargaining 401(k) Savings Plan | Darling Ingredients Inc. | TX | DC | 4,461 | $126M | $28,272 | $530 | $78.45 |
| HRBC 401(k) Plan for UFCW Collective | Harris Ranch Beef Company | CA | DC | 4,372 | $21.2M | $4,860 | $222 | $17.28 |
| Rosen's Diversified 401(k) Retirement Plan | Rosen's Diversified, Inc. | MN | DC | 4,095 | $210M | $51,206 | $1,701 | $84.54 |
| Hormel Foods Corporation Tax Deferred Investment Plan B | Hormel Foods Corporation | MN | DC | 4,044 | $192M | $47,357 | $966 | $44.02 |
| Johnsonville 401(k) Plan | Johnsonville, LLC | WI | DC | 3,677 | $340M | $92,357 | $3,531 | $163 |
| Brakebush Brothers, Inc. Employees Savings & Retirement Plan | Brakebush Brothers, Inc. | WI | DC | 3,297 | $135M | $40,841 | $1,871 | $94.50 |
| Retirement Savings Plan for Seaboard Triumph Foods | Seaboard Triumph Foods, LLC | IA | DC | 3,202 | $5.7M | $1,776 | $177 | $11.56 |
| Butcher and Provision Workers Pension Fund of Southern California | Board of Trustees, Butcher and Provision Workers | AZ | DB | 2,703 | −$13.6M | — | — | $73.96 |
| Farmers Pride Employee Profit Sharing and Savings Plan | Farmers Pride Inc. | PA | DC | 2,675 | $35.9M | $13,416 | $1,461 | $43.33 |
| Triumph Foods, LLC Production 401(k) Plan | Triumph Foods, LLC | MO | DC | 2,237 | $4.9M | $2,194 | — | $13.58 |
| The Fresh Mark, Inc. Hourly Pension Plan | Fresh Mark, Inc. | OH | DC | 2,081 | $22.4M | $10,760 | $211 | $6.00 |
| Lopez-Dorada 401(k) Plan | Lopez Food, Inc. | OK | DC | 1,836 | $66.3M | $36,129 | $2,016 | $102 |
| Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan | Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. | NE | DC | 1,660 | $42.9M | $25,873 | $1,609 | $90.58 |
| Boars Head Provision Co., Inc. Bargaining Unit-Va 401(k) Plan | Boars Head Provision Co., Inc. | FL | DC | 1,624 | $4.8M | $2,934 | $1,972 | $76.32 |
| Central Valley Meat Co. 401(k) Plan | Central Valley Meat Co. | CA | DC | 1,566 | $20.8M | $13,305 | $638 | $59.72 |
| Cti Foods 401(k) Plan and Trust | Cti Foods Holding Co., LLC | TX | DC | 1,549 | $28.9M | $18,642 | $707 | $53.70 |
| FPL Food, LLC 401(k) Plan | FPL Food, LLC | GA | DC | 1,467 | $7.5M | $5,101 | $772 | $132 |
| Tip Top Poultry, Inc. Retirement / Savings 401(k) Plan | Tip Top Poultry, Inc. | GA | DC | 1,457 | $22.3M | $15,283 | $1,013 | $82.66 |
| Bruce Packing Co., Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Bruce Packing Co., Inc. | OR | DC | 1,434 | $28.4M | $19,817 | $1,199 | $96.83 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in animal slaughtering and processing?
122 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 136 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in animal slaughtering and processing?
The median defined contribution plan reported $25,500 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $13,374 to $44,108); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in animal slaughtering and processing?
The median defined contribution plan received $1,204 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in animal slaughtering and processing?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $77.29 per participant and 0.35% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.