Swine Flu in Mexico Linked to Poorly Managed Factory Farms
Investigations now reveal that the swine flu epidemic that began in Mexico and spread worldwide is probably connected to pollution caused by unsanitary pig breeding farms in the region.
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- Tom Phillpot at Grist asks: “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.”
- The Mexican and U.S. hog industries have denied that they are responsible, and David Kirby at The Huffington Post summarizes their claims, but ends his column with this intriguing premise: “There is no proof that this illness emerged on a Mexican hog factory farm, or in Mexico, or even in hogs. But we do know that Mexican pigs with swine flu are being destroyed. And we know that Mexican lawmakers think that CAFOs are making people sick. And now we know that a five-year-old girl in La Gloria has swine flu. I wonder if the CDC is going to go check on her, and see how she contracted that virus.”
- At The Daily Green, Dan Shapley has put the outbreak into the larger context of how large-scale outbreaks are generally linked to animals: “Organizations like Wildlife Trust have for years been warning about this type of outbreak — an estimated 75% of human illness originates with wildlife (think Lyme disease, West Nile virus and every other strain of flu). The term used to describe that study is conservation medicine, since preventing and treating outbreaks typically means tackling environmental problems as well. For instance, in 1999, the deadly Nipah virus spread from bats to humans to pigs because of deforestation of jungles of Borneo and Malaysia.”
- Karl Burkart at the Mother Nature Network makes the now requisite climate change connection: “Though the mismanagement of the hog operation seems primarily to blame for the outbreak, it is also important to note that last year the Wildlife Conservation Society issued a statement that linked climate change to the development of new and potentially lethal influenza strains, particularly new strains of the avian flu. Changing weather patterns are resulting in overpopulation of insects which then carry the disease from bird to bird.”
If you are aware of additional articles that provide insight into the environmental aspects of this story, please add them with links to the comment section below.
Photo Credit: David Light Orchard on Flickr under a Creative Commons license
Smithfield also has pig murder operations
in Romania, Poland, NC and VA.
In the 2 US states, its trillions of gallons of waste have caused a red tide
of pfiesteria in the Atlanta.
Pig flesh is the most universally condemned cadaver flesh, forbidden to
Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews,
Franciscan monks, Trappist monks, Adventists, Adventists, vegans, vegetarians, fruitarians.
Pig flesh contains trichinella worms
which survive 300 degree fahrenheit cooking.
Pigs are the most intelligent of the
animals most human beings eat. They
fight hard to avoid being murdered.
Thus far, most of the coverage on this strain of inluenza aired on Public and Commercial Radio and Television is dedicated to informing the public on the location of outbreaks and protective measures suggested for care and containment. This is, of course, a “hot news topic” right now. Mr. Novey does invite readers to share information, which provides a public arena for discussion on and about news developments. I would agree, however, that in the attempt to invite audience participation, care should be taken to maintain high journalistic standards in terms of information references offered.
Here’s an update from Grist: http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-28-more-smithfield-swine
This news article is not only biased, but wrong fact wise. I have no problem with people who do not like modern pig production (factory farming), but please, have the decency to not mix your believes with facts. Thank you.
My only question is why did so many die from the swine flu in Mexico? If we don’t get answers on this we really have a problem. Is there any proof that Tama Flu works?
Much more information available today. Helpful info sources are World Health Organization (WHO.org), Center for Disease Control (CDC.gov), StarTribune.com, Minneapolis, Minnesota article posted Apr.28 “A word about masks” and ask.com/University of Minnesota will give access to articles referring to Michael T. Osterholm, Uiversity of Minnesota Infectious disease specialist who is an advisor to the White House. So far I have learned that this virus is most likely a multiple strain of swine/avian/human influenza; that only one type of mask is effective and what alternatives there are to wearing one on a day to day basis; that eating pork will not give you the flu; that, although reasonable precautions should be taken, travel panic mania will be more harmful than helpful; and that we are very fortunate to have developed our current level of global communication, which was not available at this level during the 1918 influenza epidemic. This latter should be uilized to help us all deal more wisely, by becoming better informed in order to help us deal intelligently with our inevitable confrontations with communicable diseases.
[...] Gripe suína com origem em explorações industriais sem condições sanitárias Que novidade… E dizem que o dono é o mesmo da Nobre e Campofrio. É isto o mercado — concorrer consigo mesmo. Eco Worldly. [...]
[...] animals are kept in confinement means they will continue to be sick. Has factory farming created a perfect storm for a [...]
Beware of “Pork Industry” postings (using “just folk” names) attempting to justify Controlled Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) where pigs are packed into small areas where disease spreads quickly. Watch “Nightline” (show broadcast on April 29, 2009) online to hear about the Swine Flu ground level zero—They DID say a Mexican town with CAFOs was identified as the source of the first case. They even chatted with the first case, a little boy. (The medical doctor interviewed on the show said, “The Mexican government doesn’t want us to make any comment about the large pig operations.”)
The part that should scare everyone is the high levels of antibotics fed to the CAFO animals to keep them healthy in such nasty, over-crowded conditions. Since the Swine Flu was pinpointed at one of these CAFOs, that means the virus has circumvented any antibotics that were used at the feeding operation. That also means real trouble, since the virus will have mutated. REAL TROUBLE!
I think it was the Smithfield Farm I have been finding articles all over the net..on this swine flu saying the same thing as you. The regular talking heads on national t.v. are silenced I think, because of what it woul;d mean for them to tell the general public who listen to them..and aren’t seeking the real truth. Also it’s good for for them..to dump the Tama flu medicine..so the drug companys can make money. There is more of an out break from other flu’s in the winter months they don’t get this much hype..you would think we were all going to die. I don’t buy their hype.