Grist Magazine online has a must-read story by North Carolina-based food editor Tom Philpott examining a possible link between the outbreak of swine flu and Smithfield Foods of Virginia, the world's largest pork producer and processor.
Philpott notes that the Mexico City daily La Jornada has reported on the possible connection between the flu outbreak and Smithfield's operations, noting that a Mexican health agency has acknowledged that the original carrier of the disease may have been the flies that breed in the company's hog waste lagoons.
"Hog waste lagoons." Sounds like a dream destination resort, huh? Blechhh...
The swine flu outbreak has led to a drop in Smithfield's stock prices, with analysts increasing their loss estimates for that company has well as Arkansas-based Tyson Foods due to consumer concerns about pork.
I've seen Smithfield products on the shelves and I think I've bought some over the years. Not again.
I don't buy anything with the brand name 'Tyson' just because of Tyson's Repug connections, and I check to see where store-brand chicken comes from. I use California-based Foster Farms products when I can.
It's interesting that the flu outbreak may be tied to a large corporation, nez pas? Gee, I wonder which brand of politicians Virginia-based Smithfield gives money to? I wonder...
The Repug gasbags are trying to blame this deal on Obama. Probably closer to the truth to lay it at the feet of the Repugs who are famous for removing laws that protect consumers. Watch them try to cover up this part of the flu story.
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