Aother new research paper supports what Anti-Farm Animal Confinement Advocates have been saying for years.   Confined Pigs are Breeding Superbugs.

Published this month by the American Society of Microbiology, the study confirms that MIRSA resistant to antibiotics are being developed in confined pigs being fed regular low doses of antibiotics:

"Modern food animal production is characterized by densely concentrated animals and routine antibiotic use, which may facilitate the emergence of novel antibiotic-resistant zoonotic pathogens. Our findings strongly support the idea that livestock-associated MRSA CC398 originated as MSSA in humans. The jump of CC398 from humans to livestock was accompanied by the loss of phage-carried human virulence genes, which likely attenuated its zoonotic potential, but it was also accompanied by the acquisition of tetracycline and methicillin resistance. Our findings exemplify a bidirectional zoonotic exchange and underscore the potential public health risks of widespread antibiotic use in food animal production. "

This matters.   My good friend Jake Greenbaum almost died last summer from a MIRSA infection he caught simply by paddling in a river contaminated with pig waste.  (sound gross? most waterways are).

I'm thinking of hosting a screening the movie 'FRESH' this spring here in Indianapolis.  The below clip features a pig farmer who almost died from a MIRSA infection he caught from his own pig.

People think the slow food movement is some sort of hippie fringe that doesn't matter to mainstream.  The reality is that Free Range Pork is sustainable and scaleable.  Like the farmer in the video, the Containment guys are going to have a painful transition, but it must be done.  We as consumer have to drive this with our pocketbook.

Just like drugs, You can't blaime the producers if the consumers keep buying.   It's up to us to change the system..literally for the health of us all.  If you are interested in me hosting an Indy screening of some of these Farm movies please cast a vote here....