Pork, Stigmatized by Swine Flu, Gets a Government Bailout
source: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1921649,00.html?xid=rss-health
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If you're in prison, now might be a good time to develop a taste for pork. The same is probably true if you're in the military or in a public school. As part of a government effort to boost America's hog farmers — who have identified themselves as the forgotten casualties of the H1N1 swine-flu epidemic and asked Washington for financial help — the Agriculture Department announced last week a $30 million purchase of surplus pork. That brings the federal total of pork purchases for fiscal 2009 to about $150 million, or close to $100 million more than last year's figure for the same period. During a Sept. 10 morning press conference, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack also said he would work with fellow Cabinet secretaries in the Defense, Justice and Education departments to encourage pork purchases on military bases, in prisons and in schools.
In addition, Vilsack took the opportunity to ask — indeed, plead — with the media to desist forever from use of the misnomer swine flu, which has been the cause of many of the pork industry's woes. "It may seem silly," said Vilsack, "unless you're a pork producer. Then, you have to tell your family you can't afford to pay the bills because you're now selling your product for less than it cost you to produce it."
In addition, Vilsack took the opportunity to ask — indeed, plead — with the media to desist forever from use of the misnomer swine flu, which has been the cause of many of the pork industry's woes. "It may seem silly," said Vilsack, "unless you're a pork producer. Then, you have to tell your family you can't afford to pay the bills because you're now selling your product for less than it cost you to produce it."
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- groups:
- Community, FOODIES: UNITE, US Economy
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- tags:
- Swine Flu, H1N1, Pork, Government Bailout
