I didn't think it would be this quick, but fine. Let's get it over with.
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/viewart/20130711/NEWS01/307110036/Pig-virus-migrates-US-threatens-pork-prices
This is some shoddy press release cut and paste reporting, especially with a "We're Not Really Price Fixing" lead like..."pork prices likely to rise" from this virus that "can" be fatal, that just happened to migrate from Asia to the US. Just two weeks after Smithfield "partnered" with a Chinese mega vendor for $4 billion.
Control the food and you control the population.
The thing is this: They don't even know how many pigs have died or will. They say the virus doesn't effect pork or people. So where's the economic fire? Just a heads up call of fear to everyone to let them know why prices are going up. Prices will go up because they can, quite simply. But good PR people know how to spin a story that there is a shortage and blah blah. The "Chinese demand" is a bunch of crap too. This whole burgeoning middle class demand meat? Things don't evolve over 3 years. And most of the Chinese "middle" class is just now making a living wage. I don't think they're going all piggy over it and demanding bacon. Most families have a pig, it's not like they've never seen it before. It's all made up media fluffernutter.
I believe it's a loophole purchase. We own most of Smithfield now so we're an "American" company so can't we open the flood gates to export some of our, er, meats to you guys? I mean you guys have filthy battery chickens but we've REALLY got some dirty birds. But they'll be pennies on the dollar. Think of the PROFITS!
Think of that next time you pony up to Chik-Fil-A for one of those nasty sandwiches. Or anything on the buffet or anything that's 99cents. You could just eat out of the garbage can, why bother going in and sitting down?
So, what, no more pork?? I've said it hundreds of times but now it's easier than ever to find a local farmer. EatWild.org even has a map... Local Harvest is the same. Tells of CSA shares, farmers markets and it's not just in hipster n'hoods anymore. It's more widespread and marketed.
So unless you want to eat pigs from unknown international sources, which, by the way have lower standards on cleanliness than the US and some of that is pretty sketchy...change your habits. Yea, yea, yea. You want to pop into the mega grocery and get your wine and toilet paper and cheese and pork loin. Why's it gotta be so hardddddd. You'll get over it. Support small business before you have no choice. If you want to make the creepy cruel company who owns 97% of all the pork production/slaughter and dist. in the world even richer? Keep doing what you're doing. And PS, learn Mandarin.
