Mis-named flu damaging agriculture

Our friends in the hog industry are taking an undeserved hit from the unfortunate label put on the flu that has garnered intense world-wide attention. What's being called "swine" flu actually is a hybrid of viruses.

Generally, viruses are named for where they are first identified such as "Hong Kong" flu or "Asian" flu. The Word Animal Health Organization (OIE) has suggested that the flu be called "North American Influenza." Others have suggested the more technical identification "H1N1 virus."

Public health officials and animal health officials are clear in saying that the flu outbreak has nothing to do with swine . . . either live animals or pork. There has been no evidence of any hog being infected by the virus. In fact, it is not known whether swine even could be infected by the virus intentionally.

Some focus has been put on a Smithfield Foods hog operation in Mexico as being the source of the outbreak. The Mexican government has been testing hogs in that operation.

Several countries have closed their borders to pork imports from Mexico and the U.S. Plus, the word "swine" in the flu's name has made many consumers in the U.S. and Mexico afraid of buying pork products.

As a result, hog prices have tumbled at a time when hog operations were on the ropes financially for many of the same reasons dairy farms are operating at losses.

Any new flu outbreak merits attention and concern, but all needs to be kept in perspective. Typically, about 250,000 people around the world die from one type of flu or another each year.