Swine-flu outbreak linked to Smithfield factory farms (blog speculation with links)

Grist ^ | April 25, 2009 | Tom Philpott

[libertarian27]

The outbreak of a new flu strain—a nasty mash-up of swine, avian, and human viruses—has infected 1000 people in Mexico and the U.S., killing 68. The World Health Organization warned Saturday that the outbreak could reach global pandemic levels.

Is Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork packer and hog producer, linked to the outbreak? Smithfield operates massive hog-raising operations Perote, Mexico, in the state of Vera Cruz, where the outbreak originated. The operations, grouped under a Smithfield subsidiary called Granjas Carrol, raise 950,000 hogs per year, according to the company Web site—a level nearly equal to Smithfield’s total U.S. hog production.

On Friday, the U.S. disease-tracking blog Biosurveillance published a timeline of the outbreak containing this nugget, dated April 6

[libertarian27]

http://peakoilentrepreneur.com/swine-flu-smithfield-foods

[Joiseydude]

Is Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork packer and hog producer, linked to the outbreak?

Yeah, PETA and the Muslims would just love to see that.

[Cindy]

OFF TOPIC and Real Time Updates from the CDC and WHO here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2237482/posts

[ThreePuttinDude]

the world’s largest pork packer

I think I'll leave that one alone.... yikes

[libertarian27]

That’s why I stuck this in Chat/Blog
Just something I bumped into on the net

[StormEye]

I presume the pork is shipped from filthy Mexico to the US for consumption. Why is this allowed to occur? America doesn’t need to produce its own food overseas. Particularly pork from Mexico. (I’m glad I don’t eat pork.)

[Tarheel]

You do not get swine flu from eating pork. It is an airborne disease—coughing, sneezing are the way it is transmitted.

[Paleo Conservative]

Ideal conditions for creating a new variety of swine flu for a new pandemic.

[libertarian27]

http://biosurveillance.typepad.com/biosurveillance/2009/04/swine-flu-in-mexico-timeline-of-events.html

Site that the blogger used for write-up above.

Veratect continues to process a dramatic increase in reporting on the situation in Mexico. WHO requests access to the Veratect system. Veratect is aware of laboratory samples from Mexico are positive for “swine flu” H1N1, a novel virus. World media are now aware of the situation in Mexico. CDC issues a press statement, as does WHO. Veratect notifies the private US clinical laboratory community and activates a Twitter feed (twitter.com/veratect) to enable more rapid updating of information.

[sweetiepiezer]

I am sick just from the porkulus.

[StormEye]

"You do not get swine flu from eating pork. It is an airborne disease—coughing, sneezing are the way it is transmitted."

I never said flu comes from eating pork. My comment was about pork from Mexico and why it's allowed into the USA.

[radiohead]

I was curious about this as well, and took a quick look on Google. In 2006 it looks like Mexico was importing pork from us, not the other way around.

“However, this increased production [in Mexico] has not kept pace with demand, so imports have surged to supply the shortfall. In 2005, Mexico imported 201,795 metric tons of U.S. pork, 118,140 metric tons of U.S. pork variety meats, and more than 122,000 live U.S. slaughter hogs.” http://www.card.iastate.edu/iowa_ag_review/spring_06/article5.aspx

I’m in Iowa, and considering we have more pigs than people, I’d be surprised that the US had to import any pork at all, unless there are special breeds that aren’t grown here or something. I’m not an expert on hogs, I’m just curious about the industry and following this swine flu thing.