People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is again utilizing its constitutional rights to publicly demonstrate: This time, to advocate its beliefs about industrial livestock operations in the nation’s third-largest hog-farming state – Ohio (USDA).
PETA, the largest animal-rights organization in the world, has approval from Ohio’s Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board to bring three pigs to the Statehouse steps and to emit the recorded squeals of piglets using a sound system. The group is appealing a declined request to also display 3,500 one-gallon buckets of hog manure and urine, along with an industrial fan, to distribute accompanying odors.
The organization is pronouncing its belief that large-scale hog operations partake in animal brutality and contribute to the spread of the H1N1 virus, and hopes to mirror the presentation on the U.S. Capital grounds in Washington, D.C. on the same date and at the same time. Initially scheduled July 9, a new demonstration date is being determined.
"The best way to protect animals and our own health is to go vegetarian," said PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has repeatedly stated that the HIN1 virus cannot be contracted from eating pork or pork products.
The National Pork Board includes an animal welfare committee with a mission “to maintain and promote the pork industry tradition of responsible animal care with the application of scientifically sound animal care practices.” An industry initiative titled, “We Care,” ensures that producers are held accountable to established ethical principles and animal well-being practices.
“Some outside groups don’t want our customers to hear about everything we do to care for our animals and ensure they’re raised responsibly. They generalize the terrible behavior of a few individuals and apply it to the vast majority of us who do things the right way,” said Phil Borgic, an Illinois pork producer.
Whether one is for or against livestock farms, the pork industry’s influence nationally and in Ohio cannot be denied.
Pork Industry Statistics (USDA and Ohio Pork Producers)
• The U.S. pork industry generates more than $72 billion in total domestic economic activity.
• The pork industry supports more than 800,000 jobs and adds more than $27 billion of value to inputs such as corn and soybeans.
• Pork production contributes to 10,000 Ohio jobs.
• Pork production brought in nearly $405 million to Ohio’s economy in 2007.
PETA has demonstrated at legislative offices before. In May, at New Hampshire’s Statehouse, activists simultaneously advocated for gay rights and vegetarianism by appearing nude with a banner that read, “Vegetarians Make Better Lovers," and distributed information about cruelty occurring at factory farms.
Anti-demonstrations occurred during a campaign at Maine’s Statehouse, which boycotted Canadian-made syrup to protest Canadian seal harvesting. One protestor wore a seal costume while another punctured an oversized imitation of a syrup bottle that “bled corrupted” syrup.
PETA’s activities are outrageous and over-the-top by design, using eye-catching and controversial tactics to make statements and achieve listening ears.
Unfortunately, these tactics receive press coverage and the attention of the uninformed. Perhaps there is more that needs to be done to mitigate the attention – particularly in the media.
What actions, if any, should industry affiliates take? Do you consider PETA’s actions effective? What are the implications for Ohio’s hog farmers?
Showing posts with label H1N1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label H1N1. Show all posts
H1N1: Aftermath for the Ag Industry
As H1N1 media attention slowly dissipates, hog farmers are surveying the damage. At the time of this blog posting, 13,398 cases in 48 countries have been confirmed with 95 deaths. Repercussions of the outbreak have resulted in a blemished pork industry and have consequently impacted other agricultural commodities.
Despite the fact that humans cannot contract the H1N1 virus from eating pork, the media blitz has further damaged the already stressed pork industry. Since 2007, pork producers have struggled to earn profits. According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, hog farmers have lost money 17 of the past 19 months; roughly 50 percent of the profits they have accumulated since January 1990. Producers were anxiously awaiting the onset of grilling season to fuel increased pork sales, but the virus outbreak terminated any such hope.
“The impact of the H1N1 flu has been quite severe on spot hog prices,” or the day-to-day cost of pigs, said National Pork Producers Council CEO, Neil Dierks, “Producers loses have nearly doubled.”
Dwindling domestic demands, coupled with bans on pork imports, have significantly affected the health and vivacity of the pork industry nationally and internationally.
According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
• The average American producer will lose $13.26 per head for the remainder of 2009, which is an average loss of $27.7 million per week for the U.S. swine industry.
• The U.S. pork industry is losing $8.4 million each day.
• Mexican pork sales have fallen 80 percent at a loss of $188 million.
H1N1 did not spare other agricultural markets. Russia banned all meat imports from producers in affected states and countries as animal-feed growers witnessed decreased market value as well.
"In the first trading session following the announcement of incidences of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, corn, soybean and wheat futures declined sharply," said Darrel Good, University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist. “Market participants reportedly are concerned that the threat of swine flu will reduce pork demand, stimulating further liquidation of hog numbers and resulting in reduced feed demand.”
Crop prices decreased immediately after the outbreak, but have since rebounded and, in some cases, even surpassed average levels as worries begin to wane. However, the same cannot be said for pork prices.
An industry that generates $34.5 billion of gross national product to the U.S. economy is in jeopardy. American and Mexican industry leaders are working on pork-consumption campaigns to boost sales. The Mexican Confederation of Pork Farmers and Mexico’s agriculture secretary hosted a “pork party” May 14, during which officials publicly promoted pork consumption by eating pork rinds and pork tacos.
Animal and crop farmers worldwide should view the pork fallout as testament to the significance of risk management in an unpredictable industry. The USDA’s Risk Management Agency provides an overview of crop and livestock insurance policies and programs to educate and guide producers.
Has your personal consumption of pork changed? Have you witnessed others bypassing pork products? Can the fate of the pork industry be reversed, or will H1N1 effects permanently tarnish market profitability?
Despite the fact that humans cannot contract the H1N1 virus from eating pork, the media blitz has further damaged the already stressed pork industry. Since 2007, pork producers have struggled to earn profits. According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, hog farmers have lost money 17 of the past 19 months; roughly 50 percent of the profits they have accumulated since January 1990. Producers were anxiously awaiting the onset of grilling season to fuel increased pork sales, but the virus outbreak terminated any such hope.
“The impact of the H1N1 flu has been quite severe on spot hog prices,” or the day-to-day cost of pigs, said National Pork Producers Council CEO, Neil Dierks, “Producers loses have nearly doubled.”
Dwindling domestic demands, coupled with bans on pork imports, have significantly affected the health and vivacity of the pork industry nationally and internationally.
According to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
• The average American producer will lose $13.26 per head for the remainder of 2009, which is an average loss of $27.7 million per week for the U.S. swine industry.
• The U.S. pork industry is losing $8.4 million each day.
• Mexican pork sales have fallen 80 percent at a loss of $188 million.
H1N1 did not spare other agricultural markets. Russia banned all meat imports from producers in affected states and countries as animal-feed growers witnessed decreased market value as well.
"In the first trading session following the announcement of incidences of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, corn, soybean and wheat futures declined sharply," said Darrel Good, University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist. “Market participants reportedly are concerned that the threat of swine flu will reduce pork demand, stimulating further liquidation of hog numbers and resulting in reduced feed demand.”
Crop prices decreased immediately after the outbreak, but have since rebounded and, in some cases, even surpassed average levels as worries begin to wane. However, the same cannot be said for pork prices.
An industry that generates $34.5 billion of gross national product to the U.S. economy is in jeopardy. American and Mexican industry leaders are working on pork-consumption campaigns to boost sales. The Mexican Confederation of Pork Farmers and Mexico’s agriculture secretary hosted a “pork party” May 14, during which officials publicly promoted pork consumption by eating pork rinds and pork tacos.
Animal and crop farmers worldwide should view the pork fallout as testament to the significance of risk management in an unpredictable industry. The USDA’s Risk Management Agency provides an overview of crop and livestock insurance policies and programs to educate and guide producers.
Has your personal consumption of pork changed? Have you witnessed others bypassing pork products? Can the fate of the pork industry be reversed, or will H1N1 effects permanently tarnish market profitability?
Pork Paranoia
As I am writing this, more than 140 Americans have been diagnosed with swine influenza. As international and national cases continue to escalate, uninformed consumers are misguidedly shunning pork and pork products.
Hog farmers are on the defense, refuting allegations that the outbreak is caused from eating infected pork. According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no evidence indicates that swine influenza can be transmitted through food consumption – a crucial message for the pork industry to deliver.
“Swine flu is a misnomer,” said C. Larry Pope, the CEO of Smithfield Foods, the leading processor and marketer of pork and processed meats in the U.S. “They need to be concerned about influenza, but not eating pork.”
Many health organizations also take issue with the term “swine flu” because of its scientific inaccuracy. Instead, the CDC refers to the illness by its scientific name, H1N1 flu. The virus that is circulating includes genetic components of human, avian and swine origin.
Swine flu – a common respiratory disease in pigs during winter months – mirrors the human flu strain. It is so common, in fact, that 30 to 50 percent of the U.S. swineherd have been affected with some form of the virus. Multiple varieties of the strain exist.
The current outbreak, however, is not the result of consuming or interacting with contaminated pork.
"This is not a food-borne illness virus,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, “It is not correct to refer to it as swine flu because really that's not what this is about."
Regardless of its origins, hog farmers are feeling the effects of the outbreak. Farmers producing corn and soybeans as animal feed are also threatened by economic loss from decreased demand. Hog prices are plummeting as countries are banning U.S. pork imports, and grocery chains and restaurants are decreasing their pork orders to counteract an implicit, misapprehension for the other white meat. The pork and animal-feed industries are experiencing what the beef industry endured with “Mad Cow Disease.”
Part of the problem is people lack the necessary perspective and panic trumps logic. Every year, thousands of Americans die from the common flu, but the 24-hour news cycle chooses to focus its attention on H1N1 instead, most likely because of the novelty of its recent advent. There is no arguing the news merit of people becoming sick, but the public’s response could potentially create a panic that could do more harm than good.
Despite overwhelming evidence of the safe consumption of pork, the $15 billion American pork industry is in jeopardy. As summer approaches, a usual high-time for pork because of the grilling season, the National Pork Producer’s Council, National Pork Board, American Meat Institute and others are working to clarify the fallacies associated with the outbreak and promote the continued consumption of pork.
Do you think the spread of H1N1 is being blown out of proportion? Is there a danger of a media-induced panic? What should hog farmers do to re-establish trust with pork consumers? How can separate farm industries work together to improve market demand for their products? Should sister industries (chicken and beef) rally for the best interests of the pork industry?
Hog farmers are on the defense, refuting allegations that the outbreak is caused from eating infected pork. According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no evidence indicates that swine influenza can be transmitted through food consumption – a crucial message for the pork industry to deliver.
“Swine flu is a misnomer,” said C. Larry Pope, the CEO of Smithfield Foods, the leading processor and marketer of pork and processed meats in the U.S. “They need to be concerned about influenza, but not eating pork.”
Many health organizations also take issue with the term “swine flu” because of its scientific inaccuracy. Instead, the CDC refers to the illness by its scientific name, H1N1 flu. The virus that is circulating includes genetic components of human, avian and swine origin.
Swine flu – a common respiratory disease in pigs during winter months – mirrors the human flu strain. It is so common, in fact, that 30 to 50 percent of the U.S. swineherd have been affected with some form of the virus. Multiple varieties of the strain exist.
The current outbreak, however, is not the result of consuming or interacting with contaminated pork.
"This is not a food-borne illness virus,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, “It is not correct to refer to it as swine flu because really that's not what this is about."
Regardless of its origins, hog farmers are feeling the effects of the outbreak. Farmers producing corn and soybeans as animal feed are also threatened by economic loss from decreased demand. Hog prices are plummeting as countries are banning U.S. pork imports, and grocery chains and restaurants are decreasing their pork orders to counteract an implicit, misapprehension for the other white meat. The pork and animal-feed industries are experiencing what the beef industry endured with “Mad Cow Disease.”
Part of the problem is people lack the necessary perspective and panic trumps logic. Every year, thousands of Americans die from the common flu, but the 24-hour news cycle chooses to focus its attention on H1N1 instead, most likely because of the novelty of its recent advent. There is no arguing the news merit of people becoming sick, but the public’s response could potentially create a panic that could do more harm than good.
Despite overwhelming evidence of the safe consumption of pork, the $15 billion American pork industry is in jeopardy. As summer approaches, a usual high-time for pork because of the grilling season, the National Pork Producer’s Council, National Pork Board, American Meat Institute and others are working to clarify the fallacies associated with the outbreak and promote the continued consumption of pork.
Do you think the spread of H1N1 is being blown out of proportion? Is there a danger of a media-induced panic? What should hog farmers do to re-establish trust with pork consumers? How can separate farm industries work together to improve market demand for their products? Should sister industries (chicken and beef) rally for the best interests of the pork industry?
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