Page 20 - MWC 4-23-20s

The Midwest Cattleman · April 23, 2020 · P20
Setting the Record Straight: Animal
Setting the Record Straight: Animal
Ag Has Nothing to Do With COVID-19
Ag Has Nothing to Do With COVID-19

By Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Animal Agriculture Alliance

While not surprising, it is in- Is there a connection be- any large food animal opera- spread rapidly via wildlife
furiating to see various animal tween animal agriculture tions.” spread, such as the move-
rights activist organizations and the current COVID-19 Does eating meat (or other ment of avian influenza by
attempt to take advantage of pandemic? animal products) put peo- wild birds,” Singer said. “The
public fears surrounding the Dan Thomson, DVM, PhD, ple at risk of becoming in- high level of biosecurity used
COVID-19 pandemic for their chair of the Department of Ani- fected? by modern animal agricul-
own gain. Activists with Di- mal Science at Iowa State Uni- All three experts solidly said ture has resulted in a greatly
rect Action Everywhere (DXE) versity, pointed out that “no NO. Raymond (the food safety DECREASED risk of disease
are planning to trespass onto cow, pig or chicken has been guru!) explained, “eating meat spread.”
farms as part of their “Cancel found positive for COVID-19 might put one at risk of being Thomson added, “modern
Animal Ag” campaign claim- in the world.” infected with E coli or Salmo- agriculture allows us to mon-
ing that animal agriculture is Randy Singer, DVM, PhD, nella if not properly handled itor animal health daily and
to blame for the coronavirus professor of epidemiology in and cooked to the right tem- quickly mitigate animal health
pandemic. Karner Blue Capi- the Department of Veterinary perature, but COVID-19 is issues.”
tal, an investment firm (where and Biomedical Sciences at spread via the air, or aerosol- I hope this information
former HSUS CEO Wayne the University of Minneso- ized, not from eating anything, is helpful in debunking the
Pacelle is now an advisor), is ta, explained that “COVID-19 be it meat or veggies.” myths being spread by activist
calling attention to what they is believed to have possibly Thomson pointed out that it groups who just want to un-
call “the link between infec- emerged through wild ani- is possible that there is some dermine public trust in animal
tious diseases like COVID-19 mals or a live market and then risk of people spreading the agriculture. The experts all
and the mistreatment of ani- disseminated via a live mar- disease by handling products wanted to reassure the public
mals in order to highlight the ket.” Singer went on to empha- and contaminating the pack- that this is not something they
health and economic conse- size that “the past two large aging, but that has nothing should be afraid of. Thomson
quences of these interactions.” coronavirus epidemics (SARS to do with the product itself. summed it up well and I’ll let
Other groups like Mercy for 2004 and MERS 2012) likely “There is no greater risk for him have the last word: “The
Animals and Farm Sanctuary originated from animals that eating meat versus cereals, USDA, FSIS and FDA are con-
have written op-eds trying to have nothing to do with ani- bread, vegetables, fruit or a stantly monitoring the food
say modern animal agricul- mal agriculture: wild animals candy bar,” Thomson said. supply chains to make sure
ture causes pandemics and for SARS 2004 and camels for we have safe, wholesome and
public health issues. MERS 2012.” Does modern animal agri- nutritious food. We are proud
The Alliance decided to call Richard Raymond, MD, for- culture (for example, large of our farmers, ranchers and
on some experts to help us set mer Undersecretary for Food scale farms) pose a greater veterinarians on the frontline
the record straight. It’s im- Safety at the USDA, agreed, risk for infectious disease providing care and well-being
portant to not let myths and adding “there has been NO outbreaks? for our animals.”
rumors run rampant, especial- source identified for COVID-19 Despite the activists’ claims, Hannah Thompson-Wee-
ly at a time when people are and there is certainly no link the experts say this is not the man is the vice president of
looking for any way to keep to food animals or animal pro- case. “The modern housing communications at the Animal
their families safe. Here are duction. Remember, it started used in animal agriculture Agriculture Alliance.
a few questions I asked the in a multi-million population actually protects the animals
experts and what they had to center in China, nowhere near from infectious diseases that
say.

MEAT PRODUCTION nance rations until slaughter acute. The next few weeks processors and consumers.
continued from page 6 can be scheduled. Cull cows could be an unparalleled chal-
be possible to slaughter an- and bulls may have to be held lenge for livestock producers,
imals in a timely manner. in drylots or pastures until
Last summer, the loss of a slaughter capacity becomes
single packing plant in Kan- available.
sas resulted in relatively lit- A slowdown in feedlot mar-
tle decrease in overall cattle ketings could result in slower
slaughter as production was feedlot placements and more
shifted to other plants and in- feeder cattle staying on pas-
creased Saturday slaughter ture. The beef industry ulti-
largely offset the loss of the mately has considerable flex- AUCTION CANCELLED
fire-damaged plant. In the ibility to adjust cattle flows
current situation, closure or and timing. These responses
reduced chain speeds across would increase cost of produc-
multiple plants may make it tion at all levels but proba-
impossible to keep up with bly would not be as severe as
slaughter. might result from similar dis-
Feedlots could be faced with ruption in pork and poultry
slowing fed cattle finishing or industries where bottlenecks
holding animals on mainte- and backlogs are much more