Michigan Policy Network - Is Free Range Pork More Prone to Pathogens?

Is Free Range Pork More Prone to Pathogens?

Written by Peter Goralski

Tuesday, 14 April 2009 22:44

An op-ed in the April 9 issue of the New York Times by James E. McWilliams discussed the safety of free range pork in light of a recent study on the issue. The study concluded that free-range pork is more likely than pork raised in a more "traditional" manner to test positive for trichinella, salmonella, and toxoplasma. The author of the op-ed was roundly criticized for not disclosing the source of funding for the study, the National Pork Board, which as one may guess, does not raise their pork free-range. Additionally he was criticised for not pointing out that the swine tested seropositive, rather than positive, meaning they tested positive for the antibodies not the actual pathogens. In light of this criticism, the author has responded in a brief piece on The Atlantic website where he addresses the aforementioned issues.

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The Michigan Policy Network is a student-led public education and research program to report and organize news and information about the political process surrounding Michigan state policy issues. It is run out of the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University, with participation by students from the College of Social Science, the College of Communication, and James Madison College.

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