save the pigs

the Chinese epidemic of African swine flu has apparently spread to North Korea, and thanks to feral hogs, to South Korea.

PhysOrg:

The ministry said Friday that the disease is "highly likely" to hit the South, and the government has ordered fences to be erected at farms along the border to prevent possible contact between pigs and wild boars. Seoul believes Pyongyang raises some 2.6 million pigs across 14 state-run farms. The outbreak could worsen food shortages in the impoverished North, where, according to the World Food Programme, its output last year hit the lowest level since 2008.

so more hunger in North Korea.

and the article remembers the epidemic of foot and mouth disease a couple years back: We were actually screened at the airport for this, and required to step on disinfectant in case our shoes were contaminated.


China was forced to kill millions of pigs to stop the spread of the epidemic, meaning they don't need to import as much soy beans for pig feed. Something to remember when you read about China's ban of US soy beans: They are instead encouraging their own farmers to plant soy also.