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Alberta Pork’s H1N1 challenges, responses

This post is a continuation from yesterday’s H1N1 topic that explored Alberta Pork’s experiences at the centre of the H1N1 media storm earlier this year. The information is based on a presentation I attended by Lee Funke of Torque Communications at the recently held Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation conference in Edmonton.

He outlined some of the challenges facing Alberta Pork’s response team – and their responses – at the height of the H1N1 crisis that struck Alberta when a herd of pigs was found to be infected with the influenza strain this past spring. Continue reading Alberta Pork’s H1N1 challenges, responses

Inside Alberta Pork’s H1N1 war room

It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be at the centre of a media firestorm unless you’ve actually experienced it. For the staff at Alberta Pork and the communications professionals working with them, the spring of 2009 provided more first-hand experience than they could have ever wished for. Continue reading Inside Alberta Pork’s H1N1 war room

Whatever will they think of next?!?

There’s always someone looking to make a buck off someone else’s misfortune. But in this case, I didn’t think it would be the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC).

One of the agencies at the head of the global response to H1N1 influenza, the CDC is reported to be selling a toy version of the microbe in the gift shop of its headquarters in Atlanta. Continue reading Whatever will they think of next?!?

Swine flu or whine flu? How media covered H1N1

Much has been said about media coverage of the H1N1 outbreak – both by the general public and by those of us in agriculture. And most of what is being said hasn’t been very complimentary.

Certainly from farmers’ perspective, the media is to blame for tagging H1N1 with the nickname swine flu and then repeating it over and over again until it now seems permanently and irreparably stuck in the public’s consciousness.

But what do the media think about how they have handled the situation? Continue reading Swine flu or whine flu? How media covered H1N1

Put pork on your fork to support farmers

Hog farmers need help to survive and the best thing you can do to support them is to put Canadian pork on your fork.

That’s the message behind a new TV commercial – produced by an Ontario swine veterinarian – that made it’s debut on the province’s airwaves this week. Continue reading Put pork on your fork to support farmers

A young farmer’s plea – support us by buying local food

Those of us in the farming community have known for a while now that hog farmers are facing financial difficulties and need help. Thanks to the efforts of many, even mainstream media have picked up on the crisis in the pork sector.

But although many use facts and figures to try to illustrate the point, to me, it’s the human aspect that really drives home the crisis affecting families on Ontario’s pig farms these days.

A prime example of putting a face to the story is a wonderful letter to the editor in yesterday’s Guelph Mercury from Stewart Skinner, a young hog farmer from Listowel, Ontario. Continue reading A young farmer’s plea – support us by buying local food

An inside look at Egypt’s reaction to pigs and H1N1

A freelance science writer from Egypt speaking at a conference for science journalists helped shed some light on that country’s extraordinary decision to slaughter its entire pig population when H1N1 influenza was first announced earlier this year.

Nadia El-Awady, Program Manager with the Arab Science Journalists Association, spoke about the events that led up to the mass slaughter and how the weaknesses in Egyptian media and government contributed to the panic that gripped the country. Continue reading An inside look at Egypt’s reaction to pigs and H1N1

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