African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease manifesting clinical symptoms of haemorrhagic fever
caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV) and leads to almost 100% mortality in domestic pigs.
The highly contagious disease, which is incurable in pigs but harmless to humans,
has spread rapidly across neighboring China since August, and has been found in seven areas in Vietnam,
the state-run Vietnam News Service reported.
"China’s pig herd fell 13 percent in January compared with the same month a year earlier,
while the number of breeding sows was down 15 percent from the previous year,
according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs."
So, the number of sows is already reduced, limiting the prospects of a pork recovery.
China raises and consumes far more pigs than anyone else in the world, and it is also the epicenter of this crisis.
China once had a population of 430 million pigs, and taking 13 percent of that number would give us a total of 55.9 million pigs that have been lost.
Global food prices are never going to be lower than they are at this moment,
and now is the time to get prepared for more unstable times ahead.
Here in the U.S., the recent flooding is going to have an enormous impact on U.S. agricultural production this year.
Consider the physical loss of cattle and other livestock during the recent flooding in the midwest.
Also, of serious concern is the loss of grains and other feed materials for cattle
as well as the impact of corn-ALCOHOL on the gasoline/ fuel industry.
OODA Loop (?)
All we need is one evil bastard to come across our border carrying a sample and apply for a job at a piggery.
African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease manifesting clinical symptoms of hemorrhagic fever caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV)
and leads to almost 100% mortality in domestic pigs.
The highly contagious disease, which is incurable in pigs but harmless to humans,
has spread rapidly across neighboring China since August, and has been found in seven areas in Vietnam,
the state-run Vietnam News Service reported.
(A) its infectious, ..but not to humans (that we know of)
(B) the price of pork will probably sky-rocket
(C) the last I knew, the Chinese own the largest pork producers in the US (Hillshire Farms)
I’m fortunate to live in a place where I can buy meat on the hoof from a man that I trust.
I put half a beef in the freezer last Saturday. Come fall I’ll buy a hog and have it made into breakfast sausage.
One of these days the commercial food supply chain is going to collapse. Things will be very ugly for awhile after that happens. TEOTWAWKI, you might say.
Until then we do our best to be ready when that day arrives.