I don't usually agree with columns written by David Sirota. His latest Creators Syndicate column, though, made me think. Scientists (and Mexicans who live near the huge pig farm) suspect swine flu originated in the pig farm.
Sirota quotes a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts in 2008 that concluded that industrial agriculture means high concentration of waste, overuse of antibiotics and "continual cycling of viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds" - all factors that increase the possiblitiy of diseases like swine flu.
Sirota concludes that "because of Congress's inaction on issues such as stopping agribusiness consolidation, halting the subsidies that underwrite the consolidation, and mandating vigorous health inspections," "these companies are now so huge and unchecked that they can pose a worldwide threat when livestock-borne disease strikes."
I guess we'll never return to the days of voluntary self-inspections by small farms who take pride and responsibility in the operation of their farms.
Oh, did you happen to see the report on Hannity about the thousands of farms suffering from drought in California, because environmentalists want to save a minnow that gets caught up in the irrigation systems, so now they are dumping the water into the Pacific Ocean? Eighty thousand people have lost their agricultural jobs in California, and our produce is going to continue to be brought in from Central and South America.
2 comments:
Bob, I did see the Hannity piece on the effects the callous environmentalists are causing. It made me furious and very, very sad.
Pride in a job well done is worthy of the biggest and smallest job. That seems to be the single biggest missing factor today.
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