Something to Ponder if You Like Pork

[brian64]

Maybe it’s just me, but somehow the combination of these two stories makes me feel a bit queasy.
Number of dead pigs found in Chinese rivers rises to 16,000
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/22/dead-pigs-chinese-river-rises
China Buys World's Biggest Pork Producer
A Chinese company has agreed a multi-billion dollar deal to buy the biggest pork producer in the US.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/china-buys-worlds-biggest-pork-producer-102851006.html#9Rl6JSq

 

[crk69]

Well, guess I won't be buying any spam for a bit.... :lol:

 

[mso489]

Some places you can belong to food co-ops where the provenance of your food

is somewhat knowable. This includes grass fed beef, free range pork, and free

range chicken -- not always sanctioned "organic," since that can be a bunch of

bureaucracy, but not raised in confinement and cages deep in animal waste.

Often, you can get locally grown produce and locally produced eggs, butter,

lard and other food products. This isn't paradise, but it is better than what you

are likely to get from big livestock producers who are only concerned with tonnage.

And it is somewhat affordable. You have to haul around to get it, but usually not

great distances. Being fussy in this way helps the food market in general make better

choices and may not, in the end, raise prices as much as corporations would like us

to think. And of course, growing your own food is always the best! Then you have

control of what hits the table.

 

[brian64]

+1 to all of the above.

Some places you can belong to food co-ops where the provenance of your food

is somewhat knowable. This includes grass fed beef, free range pork, and free

range chicken -- not always sanctioned "organic," since that can be a bunch of

bureaucracy, but not raised in confinement and cages deep in animal waste.

This is a very convenient outlet worth checking out that delivers to your door...including frozen goods (I have no affiliation):
http://www.greenpolkadotbox.com/

 

[trailspike48]

I'm with you Brian, this is not taken as good news by myself, maybe if I was a shareholder I would sing a different tune. I am not sure but it seems like I read about Japan purchasing major chunks of US wheat acreage years ago. Perhaps ownership has change since I read about the sale. Our small farms have trouble competing with these mega corporation regardless of who owns them. I agree with those who buy from co-ops or local sources, good quality at a fair price.

 

[4dotsasieni]

"Wasn't it Alexander Pope who penned the story about how some Chinese first discovered how to mate fire with raw pork?"
Charles Lamb (ironically enough) in "A Dissertation Upon roast Pig" : http://www.angelfire.com/nv/mf/elia1/pig.htm

 

[Perique]

Grow your own.

 

[zekest]

Two words: River Bacon
Mmmmm...Bacon...

 

[brian64]

Synchronicity...happened upon this...must have been meant to be posted here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4_pzPrMTrs&feature=youtu.be

 

[judcole]

Makes me grumble about going further into organic and away from factory farms.

 

[daveinlax]

I've heard the Chinese are fast tracking their ag to our system of GMO commodities and intensive animal farming. It's the tightly held insider technology they want. 8O

 

[zekest]

Never forget that China is a communist country. The communist government is based on people who are appointed by non-elected "officials" who do not understand the business they are governing. When you find 16,000 pigs in the river, it was not done by one or two or five farmers, but by government troops on order by the government. China has a food shortage problem not unlike North Korea for the same reason.

 

[scurvydog]

16,000 pigs un-used is for the purpose of raising the price of the existing stock.
Look into cow-pooling and pig-pooling. I did a cow-pool and it was the best meat I ever had. Have yet to find a pig-pooler nearby.

 

[oklansas]

Likely, the whole reason that Chinese firm is buying Smithfield is to purchase their expertise in how to run a safe supply chain - since they are not so good at doing it themselves. On the other hand, that same spotty dood safety record makes me leary of chinese sourced foods and of potiential slips in Smithfield after any takeover.

 

[plateauguy]

Ditto, Rothnh
We have a local butcher who won't sell anything foreign, or with hormons - I don't care how much it is, that's where my business goes!