Factory hog farms breed infectious viruses

Our very own Regina Weiss (communications director for Sustainable Table) brings attention to the seemingly obvious connection between CAFOs/Factory Farms and a variety of environmental ailments, including the possibility of swine flu in this Op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Peach Bottom Township is engaged in a showdown with state officials over a proposed factory hog farm. Since 2007, the York County community has been fighting a local family’s plan to turn its 400-hog farm into a 4,400-hog concentrated animal feeding operation, also known as a CAFO or factory farm.

Opponents believe animal waste from the facility would contaminate local wells, pollute the air, and lower property values, among other concerns. Based on the experience of other farm communities, their worries are well-founded. Now, amid daily news of a potential swine-flu pandemic, they can add the risk of a potentially deadly infectious disease to the list.

It’s well-established that hogs are highly susceptible to contracting viruses from other mammals and from birds. This makes them ideal vessels for breeding new virus strains, which can then be spread by the hogs, their waste, or the workers who come in contact with either.

Read the whole op-ed here.