Minn. pork producers: It's H1N1, not swine flu you idiots

Photo by Littletowngirl

Minnesota pork producers are pretty upset with this whole "swine flu" thing. And probably for good reason. They don't want people to stop chowing down on bacon or making out with pigs. It would probably cause the world to collapse.

But in case you were wondering, the name "swine flu" really doesn't mean you can get it from eating pork products, sleeping in beds with pigs or generally living a sloppy lifestyle. So fry up that porkchop, bunker down in your quarantine apartment and wait out this pending epidemic. Coughing flu patients won't find you there quietly oinking.

But who even knows what's going on with this pretend epidemic? The 24-hour news cycle has caused the entire world to go into panic mode for no real reason. But so far

no pigs in Mexico

have been found to be coughing and sick.

Here is what the Minnesota Pork Producers Association wants you to know:

Referring to the global influenza virus by its viral strain "H1N1 flu" rather than "swine flu" more accurately communicates the human-to-human transmission of the illness, according to David Preisler, Executive Director of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association.

The H1N1 flu virus that infects humans has not been identified in hogs. The proper naming of the H1N1 flu virus should reduce public confusion by reassuring consumers that H1N1 is not transmitted through pork or pigs and it is not a food safety issue.

"Pork is perfectly safe to eat," Preisler said. "Federal and state government agencies' can focus their resources on public education to reduce the flu virus transmission."

Preisler reminds consumers that Minnesota pork producers are committed to food safety, public health and animal care. Modern pork production practices keep the animals clean, safe and provide protection from predators, disease introduction and weather extremes.

"Pork producers work extremely hard to care for their animals and there is no food safety issues with fresh pork and pork products with respect to the H1N1 virus," Preisler said.

And you can thank Minnesota Public Radio's "In the Loop" for some pretty hilarious fear mongering in their " Don't cough on me, Alejandro" video:

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