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John Gress / Reuters
Keith Haarer, a breeding unit manager, moves a newborn piglet to a sow so she can suckle, at Whiteshire Hamroc farm in Albion, Indiana, March 16, 2012. Pictures made available April 19, 2012.
John Gress / Reuters
Haarer inspects three-and-a-half month old hogs, many of which are bound for China.
Reuters reports — Inside a dimly lit barn in northeast Indiana, where the air smells faintly of corn and earth, the future of China's food supply is squealing for attention.
A farmhand shuffles through the crowd of pigs inside pen 7E3, patting their fleshy pink backs and checking their water trough. The animals here at the Whiteshire Hamroc farm have been bred for one purpose: to be flown halfway around the world, on a journey fueled by China's appetite for food independence.
Video: Bringing American BBQ to Beijing
In a country where pork is a culinary staple, the demand for a protein-rich diet is growing faster than Chinese farmers can keep up. While Americans cut back on meat consumption to the lowest levels seen in two decades, the Chinese now eat nearly 10 percent more meat than they did five years ago.
China's solution: to super-size its supply by snapping up millions of live animals raised by U.S. farmers as breeding stock - capitalizing on decades of cutting edge agricultural research in America. Read the full story.
John Gress / Reuters
Three-and-a-half-month-old hogs at Whiteshire Hamroc farm.
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sell them the pork chop , not the pig
Or a contract that our exported breeding stock can only eat our exported corn. Better still genetically create a corn with a signature that these specially bred pigs have to eat or they never gain weight. Genetics can be a real money maker here.
NO $#IT! Talk about literally giving the farm away. Those Americans among us who have the ability to make differences in our country sure do seem to like to give it away.
We already did, now we have to feed it, J-
Maybe, some of the these little piggies should find their way to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and some of those other wonderful tourist attractions we like to send our soldiers to.
Exactly! Sell them the pork chop. Or sterile pigs.
This is a recurring theme. US taxpayers fund the Aggie schools. They develop the DNA for better breeds. Turn it over to the farmers and they sell it to the Chinese for the price of a pound of meat. Boeing is building a tech research center in China so the Chinese and Boeing can joint venture to develop technology and develop a Chinese airline industry. Does anyone really think Boeing will "learn" aeronautical technology from China and bring it to the US to further the US industry. No it's just another transfer of technology from us to them. But here's the thing. From the Farmer (who did not pay to develop the breeds), to the Major Corporate executives, who did not pay to develop the technology they transfer to China, these very few people get to "sell out" the US taxpayer who did develop all this, so they can make some money for themselves. Not for the rest of us, but only for themselves. IT's a sell out - pure and simple. And it's all fine with the US gubmint. There is no return on investment for the US gubmint. Gubmint employees and Polytissiuns do not understand the concept of ROI even though they throw the words around when they want more tax money for parties in Vegas of the South Pacific or prostitutes.
IReadyou - couldn't have said it better. I went to an Ag school and they receive tons of tax payer money for farm research. Which the school uses to fun Collegiate farms. We raised hogs, cattle, horses and grew a multitude of wheat, corn, and other staples to determine better farming practices as well as identify ways to eliminate disease. The university also works on reducing the amount of antibiotics and steroids needed to produce better animals. But I NEVER would have imagined we would send whole animals over to China for profit without clause. I thought country boys were slicker than that.
And then this little piggy will come back to US as toxic waste laden ham... yum!
Be a job creator - buy American, people!
Gestation crates...sigh...they need to go away.
Sheri, where are you seeing the gestation crates? The top girl is in a farrowing crate designed to protect the piglets. There's about a 450:3 momma to baby size discrepancy. Farrowing crates allow the piglets to get out of the way so she doesn't lay down on them.
Why Sherie? Pen gestation yields higher sow mortality (animal welfare), raises costs (less sustainable) and increases the carbon footprint.
This is a good thing, if China takes over the pork processing markets we will be able to afford to eat more pork. Way to think outside the box America, lmao
That's right, sell them the chops, loin, bacon, hams and pigs feet! We keep the production and keep the jobs here on the farm, transportation, processing plants, equipment manufacturers.
Just like exporting gas and oil products caused rises in gas prices here, there's little doubt exporting pigs to China will raise pork prices for American consumers.
Payback time!! Dip the pigs in toxic substances!!
The facts are that China can NOT ramp up its pork production fast enough to feed the millions in their country that have been quickly moving from rural (with a few pigs in the backyard) to urban settings. They will be buying a lot of pork from us and a lot of grain since they have insufficient tillable acres to feed enough pigs to feed their people.
There's so many of those little Chinamen...they'll eat all our pigs.
The article says there was a lot of research in obtaining the breeding stock, and now China gets to benefit?? We better be selling these pigs to those bastards at a huge price!!
Why would anyone send any animals to a country that has no animal rights/welfare and has shown extreme cruelty in the dog/cat/rabbit meat farms and furfarms...except for greed.
The impaler - I was thinking the same thing. I think this is just so wrong. We should be blockading them till they improve the slaughter of animals. Our worse slaughter house is 100% better than their best.
Can only mean we are soon to be getting our processed pork from China.
I can hardly wait to see Vientiene Sausages on the shelf at 711.
@JCC
Didn't bother to read the article, did you? Just looked at the pretty pictures and sounded out the headline?
If you had read the article you would have seen that American meat consumption is dropping while China's is increasing so fast that Chinese pork farmers cannot keep up and they are FORCED to import better breedstock.
american consumption is down because there are no jobs...
Not so. The Chinese do not have the tillable land to produce enough grain even to feed their own.
So are the pigs we're sending them eat air, lol
Yep soon they will sell us back the ham in a can for a primeum price.
They will feed their little piggies from USA scrap from the recycle mills and dumps and who knows maybe their dead or prisoners after they harvest their organs .
More opportunities to be poisoned.
Yes. Instead of getting pork filled with antibiotics....... now we will be getting pork filled with antibiotics, poisons, and other nasty stuff from China.
I agree wholeheartedly. China now has another use for leftover lead paint and melamine -- filler for ground pork. Or, how to kill two Americans with one pound of sausage.
Chris,
The only reason why consumtion is down is because price are up. Price are up because corn feed is near historic highs. Corn feed price are up because of our President demanding more ethonol production.
We need to be raising the Pigs in the USA and shipping China the finished product.
I'm guessing the comments in this section are from people who didn't bother reading the article
I hope the farmers are charging them a lot for these pigs after what China is trying to do with rare earth minerals. China is just evil.
I agree China is evil, they are out for themselves and that is it, they do not care about their own people let alone the rest of the world.
Let's send some of that grain that the tribbles ate.
Are we selling them the pigs or just giving them away.
Chuckle. Maybe we should send those pigs to Saudia Arabia?
Go Vegan.. meat is bad.
I know, but animals taste so good! Everything in moderation.
I find the caption of the article offensive since this "little piggy" is not going to China on a sightseeing trip but to be a part of the horrific factory farm abominations that take place throughout this world.
That is funny. Hilarous actually.
This little piggy went to market .... and came back to us in a can.
I'm not railing specifically at you, Wrigley... so please don't take this too personally.
Why is it that when people get an idea in their head about how they need to live to be happy that they have to try and export that idea to everyone else? Whether it's being Vegan/Unabashed Carnivore... or being religious/atheist... or being a Republican/Democrat... whatever.
Be happy with who you are. Let other people be happy with who they are. Part of the reason we're so miserable as a society is that everyone feels it's their responsibility to live everyone elses' lives. Technology has made the ability to share information as quick as clicking a button. Unfortunately, the ability to recognize what should and should not be shared hasn't grown with the technology.
I'm all for live and let live....but even when it comes to animals. China has brutal animal practices that make our industrial "farms" look like Club Med. The farmers are looking for a quick buck. We have gotten so far from "provide the animal the best possible life and end with a humane slaughter" ethic that all meat eaters should have.
Dear Tired, I don't think I was "exporting" any particular idea to everyone else, I was merely commenting that the lighthearted caption didn't really fit the reality of the situation. I also think that ideas are meant to be shared, debated and considered, even if it's only one person's idea, and yes, that means stupid ones, as well -- better to be out in the open. Should I gather from your submission that those people who had slaves should have been left alone since they were happy with who they were and what they were doing? Should those who used child labor have been left to be happy with who they were? I realize these are very extreme examples, but I believe it is important to remember that none of us (fortunately or unfortunately) live in a vacuum, and like it or not, we are a society, and to a great extent, we are dependent upon one another to try and make that society work as well as possible. I don't mind thinking about issues that someone has brought up, even if it is to disagree.
That being said, I don't necessarily disagree with you that technology is often used for inane and stupid purposes (at least in my opinion), but, unfortunately, that comes with the price of the freedom to use it.
tired, the thing you're missing is that people who speak out on behalf of animals--or other people being oppressed for that matter--aren't trying to convince anyone to be like them. They are trying to raise awareness about the plight of the animal/people being treated horribly, with the hopes that things can change if enough people become educated and are willing to care.
The horrors of factory farming, from birth to death of an animal, are well-documented and available online and in published material to everyone who cares to open their eyes. Even if you are comfortable eating animals, there's no sane or humane reason for them to be treated like inanimate objects that don't feel pain and fear.
Even beyond that, humans are idiots for eating the flesh of animals that have been acutely stressed their whole lives (we know stress manifests physiologically), fed chemical-laced feed--that doesn't match their innate nutritional needs, and given antibiotics to counteract the illnesses they suffer and would suffer as a result of their horrible conditions and food. Remember the old saying "you are what you eat"? The animals are what they eat and how they live. Humans are too. Think about it. Think about the health of that flesh you're putting in your body.
I'm glad you're a "good egg" Wrigley. And I get your point about the caption being pretty misleading.
I guess I've posted comments on a number of other stories in the last few days and been totally dismayed by the totally blatent "if you don't believe what I believe, you're going to he77". Or... "if you vote for <pick your poison>, the country is going down in flames" type of stuff.
So I'm glad you understood the message without shooting the messenger.
And I agree with you that issues need to be discussed. Please don't take it to mean that civil discussion shouldn't occur. Heck - I'm even happy to have a nice "heated" exchange. My issue is when discussing becomes prosthelytizing. We can have a conversation about competing points of view and still respect eachother's right to hold that viewpoint. Unfortunately, some of the wackadoos who post - can't. They're just never going to be satisfied until you admit that you're an idiot and they know "The Truth".
Best wishes,
Tired
If China needs food send them food. Not the technology we have put into our livestock. Keep the processing jobs here in America and not some where else.
...These pigs need PETA.
"Pigs Exiting The Americas"
I Agree, where is PETA. SAVE THE PIGS!!!!!
People Eating Tasty Animals
I say the USA should never sell live hogs or any other live animal to China, only processed meat. We owe China Trillions and to sell them Breeding Livestock will only make them less dependant on the USA. China has US over a huge barrel because of our debt and they know it. We need some kind of leverage over China and this would help.
We don't owe China anything. Foreigners own 23 trillion in US Treasury Bonds, where that money stays in the US, but we also own 20 trillion in foreign assets.. What we do have is a trade deficit.
Do you think the U.S. is the only place they can purchase high quality pig genetics? WRONG!
Americans : Do you know that Muslims will never build a Mosque or anything else on land that has been "soiled" with pigs ? It's against their religion. I say we should plant dead pigs all over America.
Yeah, great idea! Non violent, but effective! But come on, what happens if a Mosque gets contaminated? Surely they have a method to "purify" it? It's only logical. But we could sure keep them busy praying or whatever to purify them! : )
Corn-Fed-Up
Wow, so you hate muslims so much you wouldn't mind seeing/smelling rotting pig carcasses all over the place? You got issues
China needs to get their own food. If they want pigs start raising them yourself!
That really is sort of the whole point here. They want to breed their own, they are looking for the best in breed stock.
Did you not read the article..
That is exactly what they are trying to do. Buy breeding stock to raise their own.
Must MSNBC show us these disturbing pictures of poor lil' piggies being shipped off to die? Why can't the pigs just be put out of their misery first and THEN be shipped to China instead of making them suffer an unnecessary journey? I'm sorry piggies.
Besides the journey, I wonder if the Chinese pig farmers will reform the barbaric manner of killing commonly used for other animals in China. They aren't into humane treatment or killing.
The only way to sustain human population is for everyone to become vegetarian or vegan. Think of the toxic waste given off by these pigs once they multiply in China. Plus, the way they are butchered will be incredibly violent (even more so than U.S.).
Sorry. Few things taste better in this world than a rare chunk of dead cow fresh off the girll.
I agree with a previous poster, though. Why give them away? There's a huge cash cow (pun not totally intended) developing in China that only America can meet (that pun totally not intended). They need pork, we give them pork. Don't give them the pigs to breed their own!
Get a life!!
I'm trying to seriously cut down on pork. Pigs are too intelligent to be bred in the conditions they are being bred in.
WPalmer - You mean in their environmentally controlled building with feed and fresh water always at their disposal? Farmers know that low stress pigs are productive pigs.
Some pigs are raised like that, but some are raised in factory conditions that are appalling. No vet care, breathing in the ammonia from their own excrement in vats below them, sows kept in cages where they can't turn around for weeks, piglets who are castrated and tagged with no anesthesia. There's a lot of information out there if you look for it.
I rarely eat pork.
AG99 - Not sure what you are talking about. Most pigs are raised in pretty standard set-ups today that are in environmentally controlled, ventilated buildings with the least stress on the animal as possible. Stressed pigs do not grow well. Poor growth raises the farmer's costs, so the pig farmer has every incentive to care for his animals very well. I have worked in ag for 35 years and have been in lots of these operations. How many have you been in the past ten years?
Here's one relevant example from 2009: http://www.hfa.org/hboDocumentary.html
I'm not going to scour the internet to do your research for you.
AG99 - You need to do no research for me. I have first hand, real life experience in the area that I speak. The documentary clearly had an agenda to display agriculture in a bad light. The example provided is criminal and not at all respresentative of modern pork production. Examples abound (just watch Animal Planet) of dogs or cats or horses that are not cared for. Does that mean that is the norm or that people should not own dogs or cats or horses? Of course not. Don't focus on the exception to make your point, focus on the norm.
Check this out: http://www.ohiopork.org/ShowVideo.aspx?channel=1&videoid=97
I'm sure lots of pig are raised just fine. My point was that some of them aren't. And even those kept in conditions considered acceptable isn't something I'm all that keen on given how intelligent they are. I've heard pigs compared to dogs. Would you keep a dog crowded in a pen with dozens of other dogs and no exercise or mental stimulation? That's what WPalmer was objecting to.
But pigs aren't cute or cuddly and people don't think about how smart they are. Sometimes food and water isn't enough. Maybe that Ohio farmer let's his pigs out into the field to be pigs, but is that standard? Or are they always kept in little pens like the ones shown?
Standard today is for pigs to be kept inside away from predators and disease. Migratory birds and rodents are major vectors for disease. Also, the animal kingdom is not kind or fair to each other. Species kill other species given a chance and lots of fighting occurs within a species. A "bully" pig will mame or kill a weaker pig.
I recently returned from Manhattan Island with 1.5 million people on 23 square miles. This country kid would call that inhumane. I would consider it equivalent to a prison term if I were forced to live there yet most folks that I have talked to that live there simply love it. My point is that I can't even understand the desires of folks from my own species with whom I can converse. I sure can't tell you what a pig thinks and likes. What I can tell you is that research shows that low stress pigs are the most productive pigs, so farmers do everything they know to keep them without stressors.
sad, sad, very sad. China sells toxic junks to US, and US sells top-grade food supply back to China. Who's smarter here?????????
Adult China cannot raise its own pigs?
I must be missing something here.
Why don't we sell them slaughtered pigs and NOT breeding stock? Just giving away another of our resources. Typical USA stupidity.
China is a country that only understands one thing. Strength! Until we get an administration that will tell them to take a hike and hold their feet to the fire they will contunie to take advantage. Thats just the way it is.
I'm no PETA member, but look at how that sow is kept! Confined space, all those bars - that's horrible! She's also laying on a grate. That can't be comfortable. :( Gives new meaning to the "free range" label on meat at the grocery store.
Do you understand that without protection, the mother would lay on her little pigs and they would suffocate?
Is China getting tired of skinning dogs and cats alive, and then gutting them and baking them alive in ovens? Now they will practice their torture techniques on pigs? Half of them will perish from extreme heat or cold, malnutrition, crushing, and other ways, before even making it there. American factory farming is equally inhumane in their treatment of all animals used for human consumption. On some farms, downed animals are ground up and fed back to the livestock to save money on grain. FDA approved!!!
Nope, sorry LinCLin. The U.S. doesn't use feedback anymore. Downed animals can go to rendering but cannot be fed back to livestock. They go into pet foods, lubricants, other non-food/feed products. The only animals that can be fed to food producing livestock in the U.S. is fish meal.
Meanwhile, The State Department stripped the citizenship of the pigs.
Let them go hungry. What have they done for us?
They fund your government's lavish lifestyle, for one.
But other than the bridges, and the roads, and the schools... WHAT HAVE THE ROMANS DONE FOR US?!?!?!
Bob - I think maybe we should think more deeply about this. I don't think we want a de-stabilized China and that will be the result if its populous goes hungry. We are not doing this for them. We are doing this for US!
China is not dumb. They import ONLY the things that are important to them, the rest they build themselves to keep their people working. There is a lesson to be learned there. They import Necessities, we import Crap.
Farmers of all people should never agree to this .....They are selling out. The Chinese will soon be raising these same pigs and selling them back to us as packaged goods. This is a win win for China ...... How F ing stupid can we be ????
PValdes, You couldn't say it better. It is like our economy to day, we bout and still buying all the chip junks from China and look how beautiful economy we have created for them. They own us!
Unfortunately most of those farms are not owned by farmers but huge cooprerations. So the farmers of America are not selling out they are being forclosed on.
China does not have the tillable land to feed enough pigs to even feed their own. These are more mouths for US grain!