Christmas is just around the corner, and some families might wonder if it is safe to serve ham for the holiday dinner.
Hog farmers want consumers to understand that pork products are safe to eat and that people cannot get H1N1 or swine flu from eating ham.
"Swine influenza is not spread by food so a person cannot get the flu by eating pork, pork products or other foods," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Area hog operation owners have seen their exports go down due to what has commonly been referred to as "swine flu."
"Pork is safe and a great value right now," said Phil Borgic, a hog farmer near Raymond.
"The good part is that people are getting back to eating pork, and they are aware of the quality of the product," said Dave Conrady, owner of a hog farm near Elkhart.
Borgic said there have not been any cases of swine flu in pigs in the Springfield area. There have been pigs that tested positive for H1N1 earlier in November in Indiana.
Borgic said that sick employees spread H1N1 to the hogs in Indiana. In another case, infected children transmitted it to hogs at the Minnesota State Fair.
"H1N1 can be spread from people to hogs and back again," Borgic said.
Borgic said he has combat the possible spread of H1N1 by reinforcing to his workers not to come to work if they are sick.
Conrady said at his operation he has limited the number of people around the hogs.
Another safety step is for workers to receive the H1N1 vaccine.
"This is a preventive measure that I would use," Borgic said, "if it was available."
Above / AP File Photo
Click here for a video on how to cook a holiday ham.
USA Today article: Pork producers buffeted by unfounded link to flu
Key facts about H1H1:
Time article: Don't blame the pig:
