Foundation sues Smithfield Foods for infringement

Smithfield Foods Inc., the world's biggest pork producer, was sued by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. for allegedly infringing on the charity's "Race For The Cure" trademark.

Smithfield was sued after filing a trademark application for "Deli for the Cure," which it plans to use on packaging to highlight its corporate donations to breast-cancer research. The slogan will confuse consumers, Komen claimed in the lawsuit.

Komen said the Smithfield-based company approached the charity in March about a partnership. Komen rejected the idea, citing studies that link red and processed meat to the development of cancer, according to the complaint.