I think there's as much hysteria on this board blaming the news media as there is on the new media overblowing the pandemic. Sure it's been sensationalized as most news is these days with 24 hour news shows on a number of stations. But the coverage has dramatically died down lately and I haven't heard any hysteria on this for quite a few days now, in fact quite the contrary. That said, it is always better to error on the side of caution, especially in a new strain of flu where there are a lot of unknowns.
Whats your take on H1N1
- Thread starter gocy444
- Start date
Some precautions are certainly necessary, but some people are undoubtedly overreacting. For example, China is now barring all imports of pork from Iowa and any other state where there's a suspected case of the pig fever...
China bars pork from Iowa, other states | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register
China bars pork from Iowa, other states | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register
Hysteria is not the word I'd choose to describe posts on this board. Irritated, frustrated, angered, but not hysterical. I'm in communications and a week ago we got a call from a discovery channel station producer in Canada about the "swine flu" stuff. She wanted to talk to someone about it, and I told her that "swine flu" is a misnomer and even the WHO and OIE were recommending that it be called H1N1 or North American influenza. Her answer: "Well, you and I are both media and you know that 'swine flu' is what the public is used to hearing, so we have to call it that." I put her in touch with one of our sources and later that day he and I got a message from her saying in part, "We will be officially calling the virus the H1N1 virus as of tonight, as per the WHO's recommendation."
That's what we all should want: the right information.
Agreed- It was about 2 weeks ago that Vilsack was asking the press to not refer to it as swine flu since nobody knew what the origination of the virus was (not sure they do yet). At least most news services I've seen lately are now calling it H1N1. I have read though that scientists are keeping a close eye on possible viruses coming from factory hog farms where thousands of hogs are raised in small areas. Besides the smell and pollution problems, it seems that could be a legitimate concern.
Please see the latest FAQ from USDA on H1N1 Release No. 0131.09
Remember, too, if pigs have a virus, that virus needs to have gotten there somehow. People can be carriers and transmitters (sorry I can't think of the correct word) of virus that infects pigs.
The key thing this experience tells me is that, when there is an actual pandemic outbreak which is highly communicable and deadly, government responses will not come in time to do much about it. That's not a knock on governments or health organizations in general, but by the time they identify and react to it, it will be too late to contain it.
I'm pretty sure that people wouldn't stand for the kind of measures that would need to be taken very early on to contain it, because you'd probably have to take those steps before confirmation of the exact nature of the threat to do any good.
I'm pretty sure that people wouldn't stand for the kind of measures that would need to be taken very early on to contain it, because you'd probably have to take those steps before confirmation of the exact nature of the threat to do any good.
My Take: The government and world health were more worried about what it could become more than what it currently is... another mutation that would make it more dangerous. Naturally though, the Media jumped it and covered it 24-7 since there is nothing better to do than cover the president and vice president getting a burger.
Prediction: This first pass is going to die down soon, but come roaring back in December. Like any flu bug, it's going kill some people, but not more than usual. By that time, I hoping we have a vaccine for it and it hasn't mutated into something else.
Prediction: This first pass is going to die down soon, but come roaring back in December. Like any flu bug, it's going kill some people, but not more than usual. By that time, I hoping we have a vaccine for it and it hasn't mutated into something else.
Typical.... I have no clue what I am talking about response.... We went through this last week.
It is easier for a hog to get "ANY" kind of flu from a human, then it is for a person getting it from a hog. Basically, you have to be working directly with the hog, and making out with it in order to get it. I have worked with hogs almost my whole life. I have yet to get the flu from a group of hogs that have had it. I think I have had 3 groups this winter with it.. Still healthy...
Hogs are more of a carrier or it. There has to be a middle object that infects us humans. Please read up on it....
The part that I bolded....
The hogs you are talking about are a Smithfield confinement, with an outdoor lagoon instead of a deep pit. Just like the ones you see from some of the early Iowa Select and DeKoster (sp?) sites. The hogs have tested negative for the virus. There for you can't get it from them. People speculated it came from the site and the media ran with it... (yeah hard to believe)
No person on that farm ended up getting sick. Only a 4 year old girl in a near by town. Which is a few miles away. The locals don't like the large scale farm, just like people here in Iowa for the most part. So since they don't like the site, why not blame it for something like this, without knowing the facts... Seems to work in all societies these days.
People have been over reacting about hogs forever.... If someone lives close to hogs in the country and get sick.. They blame the hog building a mile or two down the road. Completely false.
Wonder how people lived 20 to 30 years ago when everyone on a farm had hogs, they lived outside. No rules about manure disposal. Smell was worse, and most manure ended up in ditches and making the streams. Things are 10 times better now.
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bellzisu- I think you need to talk to a few more people that live near huge hog operations before you say things are 10 times better now. I've talked to a few that do, and no, I really don't think things are better with 5,000 plus corporate hog operations confined to a small area. Didn't seem to go over too well in North Carolina. You really think we're better off with small numbers of huge corporate hog operations than many smaller family farms raising a small number of hogs? Maybe you think so but I'd bet most people don't.
Wow... I lived 1/4 mile from 5,000 hogs of my dads. Had no problems. Only reason I moved was because I got married and took a different job.
Hog's lived in climate controlled buildings. They have access to food and water. They are medicated only when sick. Yeah.. I think it is better...
Hey I would love small family farms as much as the next guy. How efficient it that today??? With the world population growing and the demand of meat growing, how would all these small farms keep up with the demand??? They can't. So someone found a way to capitalize on this and hence the cooperate farms.
Every sector of business is into mass production. Farming is slowly changing to meet the demand. Even the agronomy side is getting there with many farmers being backed by millions of dollars and having thousands of acres.
Like I said... I don't like it, but instead of complaining about it. I adapt and roll with the changes cause things aren't going back to how they were.
Plus... Don't kid yourself on the smell.. I remember growing up on the same farm I was living on before moving. The outside lots and cheap finishers we had 20 years ago when I was 8 smelled alot more then deep pit barns these days. I will agree that lagoons smell terrible, but not all "big" operations.
Do you work for Farm Bureau? We're just going to have to disagree on this. I was raised on a family farm as were most of my cousins, and only a couple of us could stay on the farm. I guess it comes down to if you think bigger is better, and I'll admit that's the way it's gone for almost everything the last 30 years. It's been great for some, but not so sure it's worked out so good for most people, though, or the economy in the long run.
Bellzisu is right!
Things are better today than 20 years ago. The water in the state of Iowa is cleaner, because the hogs are raised inside so all manure is contained until it is applied to the farm land for crop production.
Less drugs are used today to care for these animals. The pig of today doesn't have to fight to survive the frigid and scorching hot temps. They are fed better diets today also.
This leads to a product that is safer for you to eat. Pork today is of 15% leaner than pork of 20 years ago so it is also healthier for you as well.
It would be impossible to go back to the production methods of the 70's and 80's because their is not enough people left in this nation that will work that hard any more. That is one of the reasons the confinement buildings came into fashion.
SMG
Things are better today than 20 years ago. The water in the state of Iowa is cleaner, because the hogs are raised inside so all manure is contained until it is applied to the farm land for crop production.
Less drugs are used today to care for these animals. The pig of today doesn't have to fight to survive the frigid and scorching hot temps. They are fed better diets today also.
This leads to a product that is safer for you to eat. Pork today is of 15% leaner than pork of 20 years ago so it is also healthier for you as well.
It would be impossible to go back to the production methods of the 70's and 80's because their is not enough people left in this nation that will work that hard any more. That is one of the reasons the confinement buildings came into fashion.
SMG
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No... Not the Farm Bureau... I work with hogs day to day. It's my job, my life, and also my source of income. I stick up for the industry that has done nothing but support me and my family over many years now.
That's news to me that we now have hog confinement buildings and corporate farms because too many farmers wouldn't work hard enough. I guess sustained low prices and high costs didn't have much to do with it. Now we hear about Palm Beach farmers collecting big checks and large government subsidies while they're lying on the beach. I think that hard working farmer Chuck Grasley has even collected about a quarter of a million dollars. Sorry, I just don't side with the Farm Bureau crowd on this one and I still think most of the country and rural Iowa would be much better off right now if we still had plenty of family farms. And I'd like to know where the info comes from that Iowa's waterways are cleaner now than they were when we had many more family farms up thru the 70's. And why have so many big hog operations moved out of North Carolina?
Americans in general are getting lazier by the day. I am a hog farmer, I can barely find people to work for me. Most think it is beneath them to step foot on a farm.
Small family farms tend to be the low cost producer. The thing is, kids go to school get an education then they get a good paying job away from the farm. They don't go back until they inherit it and it's time to sell.
Mahaska rural water has been in business for over 30 years. They will tell you point blank that the water is cleaner today. They just don't have to filter it as much. Also there are less chemicals used on farm fields today than in the past.
I never said bigger is better. I would be all for lots of small farms back in the country side. It just not going to happen in todays world.
I am against subsidies for non farmers. BTW. Chuck does farm his own land I think.
SMG
Small family farms tend to be the low cost producer. The thing is, kids go to school get an education then they get a good paying job away from the farm. They don't go back until they inherit it and it's time to sell.
Mahaska rural water has been in business for over 30 years. They will tell you point blank that the water is cleaner today. They just don't have to filter it as much. Also there are less chemicals used on farm fields today than in the past.
I never said bigger is better. I would be all for lots of small farms back in the country side. It just not going to happen in todays world.
I am against subsidies for non farmers. BTW. Chuck does farm his own land I think.
SMG
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There were several issues brought up when they decided to make a rule on new hog buildings in North Carolina. North Carolina is the second largest hog producing state in the US. They are also a big cattle state. Between hogs and cattle spaces to expand were getting more and more limited.
Another thing was the concern of health for both hogs and humans. With the rather large population hogs it was extremely easy for hogs to pass disease from heard to heard, farm to farm. Also, alot of the early hog facilities built were out door lagoons. If you saw what I wrote earlier you will see I'm not in favor of these.
When buildings were built in North Carolina there were very little restrictions. And companies took advantage of it. Iowa learned from that and places a ton of restrictions on buildings. Where you can build, distance requirements, aplication requirements are all standard now. You have manure management plans now.
While Carolina did it the wrong way, Iowa learned from it....
Sorry you can't stand the farm bureau type.. I can't stand the non educated, bash farmers for adapting to modern production, people.
Plus, subsidies are a joke. We do have that in common.
Sorry to hijack the thread.. When was the last time a thread stayed on topic anyway.
As I said earlier, I come from generations of farmers and I was raised on a farm, and still have some relatives that farm, so I wouldn't bash hard working farmers. But imo the Farm Bureau has come to represent the biggest and wealthiest farmers , including the big corps and those that lie on the beach and collect their checks and government subsidies as I referred to earlier. I don't follow farm issues that closely anymore, but that's certainly the impression I've got from watching the positions the Farm Burea has taken over the years.
I agree with you on most of your points. Although, the big corps are not getting subsidies. My company lost millions of dollars and we got no bail out or government money. We actually had to get rid of people for the most part.
The people that get the subsidies are usually the 3-4,000 acre farmers that don't touch their ground and rent everything out. Check out the subsidies rules. They will help you pin point exactly who you want to target.
