Swine Flu

Mike Davis discusses in his article "The Swine Flu Crisis Lays Bare the Meat Industry's Monstrous Power" yet another major problem with the meat production industry. The recent outbreak of the virus strain H1N1, commonly known as the swine flu, has infected countless people around the world. It is very probable that swine flu originated and grew in industrial pig farms where the animals live crammed in tiny pens that aren't even large enough for them to turn around in. Having such a large number of animals living in such a small area (covered in their own feces) provides a perfect environment for a virus like swine flu to generate.

As of now, there is no way of predicting when this kind of pandemic will happen in the future or what kinds of viruses may arise. There is strong evidence that the food production industry is making this problem worse. Although measures are being taken to relieve the short term issues through antivirals and vaccines, the more difficult long term issues are not being looked into as much. If this type of large-scale, industrial food production continues and grows, what kinds of problems are we going to have in the future? Will there be more viruses like the swine flu that will cause periodic crises killing innumerous people around the globe?