Donald Stull & Michael BroadwayDonald Stull & Michael Broadway

((Slaughterhouse BluesSlaughterhouse Blues))

Hog Heaven: Hog Heaven: The Pork IndustryThe Pork Industry

Road to PorkopolisRoad to Porkopolis

Pigs used to run free on family Pigs used to run free on family farms & scavenge for wild roots, farms & scavenge for wild roots, vegetables, berries, grasses, nutsvegetables, berries, grasses, nutsHogs were the major meat sorce for Hogs were the major meat sorce for Americans from colonial times until the Americans from colonial times until the 1950s (when beef overtook pork)1950s (when beef overtook pork)Piglet gains 1 lb. for every 3-5 lbs. feed & Piglet gains 1 lb. for every 3-5 lbs. feed & produces a litter of 10+ (4 mo. gestation) & is produces a litter of 10+ (4 mo. gestation) & is ready for market in 6 mos.ready for market in 6 mos.Calf gains 1 lb. for 10 lbs. feed & produces a Calf gains 1 lb. for 10 lbs. feed & produces a single calf (9 mo. gestation) & is ready for single calf (9 mo. gestation) & is ready for market in 12 mos.market in 12 mos.

““Queen City of the West”Queen City of the West”

Cincinnati’s 1st meatpacking plant Cincinnati’s 1st meatpacking plant opened in 1818opened in 1818

Dominated pork packing until the Civil Dominated pork packing until the Civil WarWar

1844 Porkopolis boasted 26 1844 Porkopolis boasted 26 packinghousespackinghouses

1854 42 packinghouses1854 42 packinghouses

““Hog Killing Time”Hog Killing Time”

Hogs slaughtered fall/winter—no Hogs slaughtered fall/winter—no refrigerationrefrigeration

Winter was the farmers’ ice box, thus Winter was the farmers’ ice box, thus meatpacking was seasonal until refrigeration meatpacking was seasonal until refrigeration developed after the Civil Wardeveloped after the Civil War

Hogs were cleaned & gutted, cooled, cut up, Hogs were cleaned & gutted, cooled, cut up, salted & soaked in brine or vinegarsalted & soaked in brine or vinegar

Entrails dumped into the Ohio RiverEntrails dumped into the Ohio River

Pork MarketsPork Markets

Pork was exported to Caribbean & Pork was exported to Caribbean & EuropeEurope

10% of U.S. foreign trade in late 1870s10% of U.S. foreign trade in late 1870s

1880 Europe banned U.S. pork due to 1880 Europe banned U.S. pork due to fear of trichinosisfear of trichinosisExports resumed when the government Exports resumed when the government introduced meat inspection in 1890introduced meat inspection in 1890But meat for U.S. consumers was not But meat for U.S. consumers was not inspected for 10 more yearsinspected for 10 more years

Hog Heaven or Hell?Hog Heaven or Hell?Family farmers in the U.S. found hog Family farmers in the U.S. found hog production an easy way to earn cashproduction an easy way to earn cashHog nickname – “mortgage burner”Hog nickname – “mortgage burner”But by 1990-2000, family farmers were But by 1990-2000, family farmers were being replaced by CAFOsbeing replaced by CAFOs$5 million investment in contract $5 million investment in contract production would generate 40-50 new production would generate 40-50 new jobsjobsBut 120-150 family farmers were But 120-150 family farmers were displaceddisplaced

Luring CAFOsLuring CAFOs

Hog production began to shift from corn belt Hog production began to shift from corn belt states to North Carolina, Oklahoma, & Utahstates to North Carolina, Oklahoma, & Utah

North Carolina Dept. of Agiculture & NC State North Carolina Dept. of Agiculture & NC State University identified swine production as a University identified swine production as a desireable replacement for tobaccodesireable replacement for tobacco

State government provided research funds, State government provided research funds, gave tax incentives, hog farms were exempt gave tax incentives, hog farms were exempt from zoning & minimum wage regulations, from zoning & minimum wage regulations, workers were banned from organizing unionsworkers were banned from organizing unions

Environmental racismEnvironmental racism

2514 swine CAFOS in North Carolina 2514 swine CAFOS in North Carolina were disproportionately located in were disproportionately located in poor, nonwhite communities that poor, nonwhite communities that depend on local wells for water supplydepend on local wells for water supply

Hurricane Floyd (1999) caused flood Hurricane Floyd (1999) caused flood waters to overrun hog farms, waters to overrun hog farms, inundating 46 lagoons, polluting water inundating 46 lagoons, polluting water systemssystems

Conflict Over CAFOsConflict Over CAFOs

Proponents: the system is driven by Proponents: the system is driven by consumer preference for uniform low-consumer preference for uniform low-cost porkcost porkCritics: Superior feed conversion is Critics: Superior feed conversion is only possible due to only possible due to antibiotics, nutritional antibiotics, nutritional supplements, & the supplements, & the stress hogs experience stress hogs experience in confinement leads to in confinement leads to lower feed conversion lower feed conversion

A sign at the entrance to three hog A sign at the entrance to three hog barns at one of the Ham Hill Farms barns at one of the Ham Hill Farms sites warns visitors that the site is a sites warns visitors that the site is a "biosecure protection area." "biosecure protection area."

A virus introduced into a CAFO can A virus introduced into a CAFO can spread quicklyspread quickly

Raising HogsRaising HogsIn CAFOs, 100 hogs of similar weight are in a In CAFOs, 100 hogs of similar weight are in a room, each in a metal stall, with no room to room, each in a metal stall, with no room to turn aroundturn aroundMale semen is collected to inseminate sows Male semen is collected to inseminate sows who produce 2 litters of 10-12 piglets/yearwho produce 2 litters of 10-12 piglets/year In the nursery, sows occasionally smother & In the nursery, sows occasionally smother & crush their offspringcrush their offspringNew litters have their ears notched (for I.D.), New litters have their ears notched (for I.D.), tails clipped, teeth filedtails clipped, teeth filed

They will bite others’ tails, causing infection that They will bite others’ tails, causing infection that can spreadcan spread

As hogs grow, they are sequentially moved As hogs grow, they are sequentially moved to larger rooms until they reach slaughter to larger rooms until they reach slaughter weight of 250 lbs.weight of 250 lbs.

Pig EssensePig Essense

Pigs don’t sweat (no sweat glands)Pigs don’t sweat (no sweat glands)When they are deprived of mud holes When they are deprived of mud holes or shelter & temperatures exceed 86or shelter & temperatures exceed 8600, , they wallow in their own feces & urine they wallow in their own feces & urine to avoid heat stroketo avoid heat strokeFeces & urine are pumped into lagoons Feces & urine are pumped into lagoons or are used as compostor are used as compostA hog produces 1.5 tons of solid A hog produces 1.5 tons of solid manure & 5270 gal. of liquid manure & 5270 gal. of liquid manure/yearmanure/year

Swine CAFOSwine CAFO

Manure Holding PondManure Holding Pond

Waste samples being collected from a Waste samples being collected from a swine manure holding pond in Iowa swine manure holding pond in Iowa

Hog lagoons emit ammonia, hydrogen Hog lagoons emit ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, 100s of volatile organic sulfide, 100s of volatile organic compounds, dust, endotoxins (cause compounds, dust, endotoxins (cause respiratory dysfunctions in workers) respiratory dysfunctions in workers) into the airinto the air

Miss Piggy’s New FrontiersMiss Piggy’s New FrontiersAs North Carolina mandated cleanup & As North Carolina mandated cleanup & conversion to cleaner technologies, conversion to cleaner technologies, CAFOs began to relocateCAFOs began to relocateManitoba’s agricultural minister Manitoba’s agricultural minister proposed doubling pork productionproposed doubling pork productionOffered an “open market” Offered an “open market” system allowing processors system allowing processors to contract with individuals, to contract with individuals, waived clean environment waived clean environment commission hearingscommission hearings

North Carolina 1982-97: North Carolina 1982-97: farms under 100 hogs: 9149farms under 100 hogs: 9149 1239 1239

farms over 1000 hogs: 458 1466farms over 1000 hogs: 458 1466

Maple Leaf Foods Maple Leaf Foods (Canadian transnational)(Canadian transnational)

2000 workers2000 workers

Slaughter 15,000 hogs/daySlaughter 15,000 hogs/day

O-o-o-Oklahoma!O-o-o-Oklahoma!(Big pig invades (Big pig invades

“cattle feeding capital of the world”)“cattle feeding capital of the world”)

Oklahoma lured hog productionOklahoma lured hog productionGave land, tax incentives, sales tax, Gave land, tax incentives, sales tax, highway improvementshighway improvements

Seaboard Corporation Seaboard Corporation (transnational)(transnational)

Slaughters 16,000 hogs/daySlaughters 16,000 hogs/day

Contract farms construct 3 confinement Contract farms construct 3 confinement buildings @ $500,000 on 10-year contractsbuildings @ $500,000 on 10-year contracts

91% of workers earn under $25,000/year91% of workers earn under $25,000/year

Seaboard provides 2800 jobsSeaboard provides 2800 jobs9 of 10 workers are Hispanic9 of 10 workers are HispanicHispanic population tripled Hispanic population tripled

12% in 1990 to 38% in 200012% in 1990 to 38% in 2000

Meatpacking work involves an annual Meatpacking work involves an annual turnover rate of 98%turnover rate of 98%# Families in poverty increased# Families in poverty increasedLack of housing at affordable rateLack of housing at affordable rateLack of health careLack of health careMany who came can not afford to live thereMany who came can not afford to live there