Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

The Apigolypse

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Forget about global warming for just a minute. Set aside your fears of national bankruptcy and economic collapse. If you’re looking for calamities, this is really serious: One quarter of the world’s hog population could die from a devastating strain of African swine fever, reports USA Today.

How apocalyptic is the situation? Just ask Mark Schipp, president of the World Organization for Animal Health: “I don’t think the species will be lost, but it’s the biggest threat to the commercial raising of pigs we’ve ever seen. It’s the biggest threat to any commercial livestock of our generation.”

He doesn’t think the species will be lost? That’s reassuring.

The paucity of news coverage suggests to me that people aren’t taking this nearly seriously enough. Let me tell you, if world health officials said that one quarter of all dogs on the planet were destined for the big kennel in the sky, the story would be massive. If one quarter of felines on the planet were headed for kitty kingdom come, the story might be played even bigger (although there might be some celebration mixed in with the caterwauling).

All I can say is that it’s a darn good thing that there are plenty of feral pigs out there — no thanks to the Washington Post!! Commercial hog raising may go under, but as long as pigs roam free, we won’t have to worry about the species becoming extinct!

Lucky thing the United States is sitting on a 40 million-pound surplus of uneaten bacon, a 48-year high. As it turns out, it may not be nearly enough.

— JAB

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16 responses to “The Apigolypse”

  1. Jane Twitmyer Avatar
    Jane Twitmyer

    This sounds like an antibiotics issues … The Pew Charitable Trusts were one of the first on board to stop the overuse of antibiotics. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2 million Americans fall sick every year with antibiotic-resistant infections—and 23,000 die…. The more that antibiotics are used, the less effective they become. This includes the use of antibiotics in food animals, which helps drive the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.”

    “Antibiotic sales for food animal production are significant and increasing: They account for 70 percent of total medically important antibiotic sales by volume—a 23 percent rise since 2009. However, the available data are limited and do not detail how and why these drugs are used in agricultural settings or the implications of that use.”

    Pew is working to limit the overuse of antibiotics and therefore their effectiveness. The FDA currently has a draft rule to require that veterinarians are involved in their prescription.

  2. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    I think this is yet another example of how lying and coniving scientists are engaged in world-wide conspriacy to spook people into thinking there really is a world-wide crisis.

    We’ve seen this before. Right?

    And heck, it’s just a matter of time that these same lying SOBs begin to hint this too has something to do with Global Warming!

    Next think you know, they’re going to trying to scare the bejeus out of us on beef and poultry also!

    A POX on them ALL!

  3. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
    Reed Fawell 3rd

    Mr. Bacon –

    You, among all human people, for obvious reasons – alleged but bogus kinship claims as well as chronic cultural expropriation, and a litany of historic genocide – should: FEAR THE PIG!

    Beware, Mr. Bacon!
    Pig in Chief
    Porky

  4. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
    Dick Hall-Sizemore

    I was aware of the outbreak in China and the resultant shortage of pork. I was not aware of the extent. There is an AP story that provides a few more details. https://apnews.com/d4d525760e304520899eb10a7b084ea2
    One possible dangerous consequence of this outbreak could be a shortage of heparin, a widely-used blood thinner, that is a byproduct of pork. I was going to blame this outbreak on the use of large commercial farms, but it seems the opposite is true. According to the president of the World Organization for Animal Health, “In China, previously they had a lot of backyard piggeries. They’re seeing this as an opportunity to take a big step forward and move to large scale commercial piggeries. The challenge will be to other countries without the infrastructure or capital reserves to scale up in those ways.”

    This is probably not related to the overuse of antibiotics. Swine fever is caused by a virus, for which antibiotics are not used.

    By the way, according to the AP story, “A recent reappearance in western Europe came from wild pigs transferred into Belgian forests for hunting purposes.” So, feral pigs are not safe, either.

    Being a good Virginian and thus a lover of country ham and sausage, I hope scientists develop a vaccine soon!

    1. Jane Twitmyer Avatar
      Jane Twitmyer

      I stand corrected. A virus is different.
      Thanks for the information.

  5. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
    Reed Fawell 3rd

    “Infected large scale commercial piggeries, I hope scientists develop a vaccine soon!”

    It’s too late, Dick. And hopeless, too. The US House of Representatives is already fatally infected. US presidential primary candidates now appear to have all the backyard infected piggery symptoms too.

    1. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
      Reed Fawell 3rd

      Newsflash on genesis of alleged Pig Flu and Swine Fever – It’s a new offensive meme ginned up by a conspiratorial alliance of Vegans and anti-flatulence global warming alarmists coup-plotters operating covertly within the CIA, DOJ, and FBI and other deep state operatives, engaged in an massive effort to spread public swine hysteria among American Voters. Their Ultimate target? Why Donald Trump, of course, the Pig in Chief, and his basket of deplorable allies, all those nasty Americans who voted for the Donald in 2016 US Presidential election. Expect the US House of Representatives to again swing into action to save American Democracy and the US Constitution.

  6. vaconsumeradvocate Avatar
    vaconsumeradvocate

    In the US most of our pork production is controlled by Smithfield. Farms like I grew up on that provided breeding stock were kicked out about 30 years ago when the industry became vertically integrated. Consolidation continued until only Smithfield was left in the US. Now it is owned by Chinese. Farmers in the US still raise hogs – but for Smithfield using the genetics they provide, the feed they specify and the health protocols they design. Some independent farmers raise hogs and sell the meat to consumers, but the industry was taken over by factory farms. If the virus were to strike US factory farms, large losses could be expected. Their protocols may help keep them from striking, but it seems risky for us to put so much on just one company.

    1. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
      Reed Fawell 3rd

      Yes. The idea of Smithfield being a Chinese company that controls breeding as well as rest of pork industry in the United States speaks volumes about the end game of globalism, the God and arc of history that drives American and European liberal elite, who like pigs are witlessly being gobbled up by their new masters in Beijing, China.

      What is truly amazing is that this process on its current arc will likely take China six decades to put America and Europe under its boot, a testament to China’s rise and the internal collapse of Western Civilization, lead by poster boys John Kerry, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton, joined now with expanding array of high tech chieftains in the US, all pigs going clueless to the slaughter.

      1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
        Dick Hall-Sizemore

        John Kerry, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton did not make Smithfield sell out to the Chinese. You can blame the greed of capitalists who value money above country.

        1. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
          Reed Fawell 3rd

          No, Dick, John Kerry, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton just sold out the entire nation. Please look at their record, Kerry’s starting in the early 1970s. Joe’s Biden’s as recently as his last official trip to China. Bill Clinton’s mistake in this regard I believe were largely innocent. His wife’s, through their corrupt foundation obviously were not innocent but instead were a money laundering operation based on Hillary’s being Secretary of State and later running for President. That operation folded when she lost her bid at president. At least Bill by then was out of office. Neither Biden nor Kerry were out of office, though Kerry’s son had the good ethics to bail out.

          1. Jane Twitmyer Avatar
            Jane Twitmyer

            Another oops … John Kerry has 2 daughters … Maybe a son-in- law?
            or maybe his step-son, Teressa Heinz’s son? I worked for him and remember his daughters.

  7. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Poultry has had similar issues over recent years. millions/billions of birds have been killed in attempts to stem the spread.

    Humans themselves have been subject to pandemics.. and in this country – Native Americans were seriously reduced in numbers because they had no acquired immunity to European diseases. (interesting it does not work the other way).

    At any rate, the human approach has been to marshall science to develop vaccines but now we have counter movements that are opposed to vaccines… not sure if it is just for humans or also includes animals but there are other groups that are convinced that harmones, anti-biotics, and GMO are all dire
    threats to mankind also.

    what are we gonna do?

  8. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
    Reed Fawell 3rd

    “Native Americans were seriously reduced in numbers because they had no acquired immunity to European diseases. (interesting it does not work the other way).”

    It did work the other way in spades. Don’t believe today’s myths. Only one in ten early European Immigrants survived for long in the New World during 1st half 17th century, dropping like flies.

  9. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    The worst disease that Europeans acquired from the Amero-Indians was syphilis. Africa was far more deadly to Europeans, which explains why it took so long for Europeans to colonize the continent (except in the temperate far south, where, in fact, Europeans did colonize it early).

    1. Reed Fawell 3rd Avatar
      Reed Fawell 3rd

      Lord Jim plainly demonstrates the advantages of an educated man. Fortunately for him and for us too, he attended the University of Virginia before that institution entered its ongoing Dark Age that now casts a dark blanket over its entire state.

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