Less than two years ago, a deadly virus swept across U.S. hog farms and killed millions of piglets, starting a chain reaction that led to record-high pork prices in grocery stores. The outbreak cost the hog industry $1 billion, says Harvest Public Media in a series that delves into “an emerging virus so virulent it could withstand the rough ride from China to the States, possibly by latching onto a common cargo container.” The industry struggles still to prepare for a possible return of the virus.
“What we have pieced together from interviews and public records shows that PED confounded researchers and industry insiders scrambling to contain it. Even so, the U.S. Department of Agriculture stalled for a year on making reporting the disease mandatory, which could have helped in preventing the devastating spread,” says reporter Amy Mayer.