Virginia-based Smithfield Food Pig Ranch in Mexico: Filthy:

[amborin]

".....But Cordova said tests now show that a 4-year-old boy contracted the disease at least two weeks earlier neighboring Veracruz state, where a community has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm.

The farm is run by Granjas Carroll de Mexico, a joint venture 50 percent owned by Virginia-based Smithfield Foods, Inc. Spokeswoman Keira Ullrich said the company has found no clinical signs or symptoms of the presence of swine influenza in its swine herd or its employees working at its joint ventures anywhere in Mexico.

But local residents are convinced they were sickened by air and water contamination from pig waste.

There was a widespread outbreak of a particularly powerful respiratory disease in the area early April, and some people reported being sick as early as February. Local health workers intervened in early April, sealing off the town of La Gloria and spraying to kill off flies they said were swarming through their homes....."

<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090427/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_swine_flu_mexico>


plus labor violations and anti-union behavior:

<http://www.dailypress.com/business/dp-biz_smithfield_0411apr11,0,5532790.story>

[HereSince1628]

1. Virginia-based pig ranch is in Mexico because Mexico doesn't have US regulations

An awful pig farm in Mexico isn't the WTO's, NAFTA's fault.

Pig farms in Mexico are not subject to US regulation.

When you take the jobs, you need to realize who you are working with/against.

[amborin]

2. agreed

it's no one's fault but Smithfield

the industrial/capitalist pig industry has a long history of horrible violations in the U.S.

just notorious

so, of course it's easier for them to shift operations to Mexico, where they can get away
with this

[MzNov]

3. more links re the Smithfield possible connection...

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/12840743/porks_dirty_secret_the_nations_top_hog_producer_is_also_one_of_americas_worst_polluters

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/27/724962/-Swine-Flu-Linked-to-Smithfield-Factory-Farms-by-Mexican-Press

[amborin]

5. those articles are horrifying!

[seabeyond]

4. a real pig sty, huh?

couldnt help it. sorry

[DonCoquixote]

6. Funny how

This company just closed a major plant in Plant City, Florida (Tampa Bay Area). All those jobs lost, and it could not have had anything to do with lower regulations down south, right? Of course, Plant City still votes GOP, as it is a bastion of Dixie.