Know thy Enemy: Smithfield Foods

Gestation Crates: Smithfield Farms.
Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gestation_crates_3.jpg

Smithfield is the world's largest pork producer with over 50 brands. and 200 "gourmet" pork products. This tactic thwarts boycot efforts. They control every aspect of pig production - from breeding to raising to killing to distributing to your local grocery store.

Their political power comes from their size, with 50,000 employees and billions of pounds of pork produced every year.

Smithfield has operations  in 26 US States and eleven foreign countries. Their size gives them the power to influence our political process, deminishing our democracy.

Getting Help: Fighting your Corporate CAFO

Fortunately, there is help available to those of us who don't want a corporate CAFO in our back yard. Unfortunately, all the places you may first think to turn to to help, probably can't - or won't.

Our State Legislators have stripped cities in Iowa of the right to zone against CAFOs. They have stripped counties from the right to influence placement of CAFOs. The DNR has no oversight - they must follow the Master Matrix, which heavily favors the CAFO owner. Our Legislature has made sure of that.

The Good News ...

New Study: Pork Contaminated

Consumer Reports found 69 percent of pork samples were contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica. Just 1 more way pork is killing us...

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/11/consumer-reports-finds-most-pork-positive-for-yersinia/#.UW8Y12c3hzM

Pork Producers add Ractomine to Hog Feed

US pork exports decline. Russia and China refuse meat with ractopamine. What is ractopamine?

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/tag/ractopamine/#.UW8XRWc3hzM

Pork exports tumble

A record glut of hogs and collapsing exports cause big decline in pork.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-16/hog-glut-gains-as-u-s-exports-drop-most-in-decade-commodities.html

Boone County Farmers and Neighbors Group Formed

Boone County has formed a "Farmers and Neighbors" group to help fight the expansion of corporate owned factory farms in their county. If you live in or near Boone County, check them out and get in touch.

Twitter: @BooneNeighbors

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boone-Farmers-and-Neighbors/139668219535398

or email them: boone.farmers.neighbors@gmail.com

We can only change whats happening to us in rural Iowa if we organize!