Topic: Pork Industry

The CDC has called on certified laboratories to develop rapid tests for bird flu, mirroring the early response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Observers note that while there is a "war on protein" targeting beef, dairy, and poultry, the pork industry—largely owned by Chinese interests like Smithfield Foods—has remained relatively unaffected. Testing for H5N1 is expected to increase as the government prepares for a potential public health rollout.

Dr. Robert Malone addressed the "Beef Initiative" conference regarding the potential for mRNA vaccines in the food supply. Malone clarified that while mRNA is not currently used in beef, Merck is already deploying custom mRNA vaccines for the swine (pork) industry under special USDA authorizations. He warned that these formulations can be shed in milk and meat, necessitating strict disclosure and testing protocols that the FDA has yet to mandate.

CBS News reports on the closure of major meatpacking plants, including Tyson Foods in Iowa, due to COVID-19 outbreaks. Speculation arises that these closures might be a price-gouging tactic by meatpackers to exploit the gap between rancher prices and retail costs.

The Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was forced to shut down following a massive COVID-19 outbreak among employees. The closure of the facility, which represents 25% of U.S. pork production, raised national security concerns due to the company's 2013 acquisition by the Chinese firm Shuanghui International.

The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences announced the development of two vaccine candidates for African Swine Fever. Skepticism remains regarding the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines given the scale of the pork industry crisis in China.

The CDC reports widespread H1N1 activity across 41 states, with increasing hospitalizations. For the first time in the U.S., three pigs at the Minnesota State Fair tested positive for the virus, though they did not appear sick. The hosts suggest the "swine flu" label is being used to manipulate the pork industry and question the validity of testing asymptomatic animals.

General Dynamics was awarded a $10 million contract to develop websites for the US Special Operations Command to influence foreign audiences. Simultaneously, the USDA agreed to spend $151 million this year purchasing surplus pork to compensate the industry for losses attributed to the swine flu outbreak.

The H1N1 outbreak, commonly referred to as swine flu, has faced calls for a name change to avoid offending religious groups or damaging the pork industry. In Egypt, authorities began culling pig populations despite a lack of evidence that the animals were sick. Meanwhile, public sentiment in the Netherlands remains largely unconcerned about the virus, while simultaneously maintaining a highly favorable view of President Barack Obama.