This is an interesting look at the H1N1 vs. swine flu references in the media that continues to plague the pork industry. Written by Gary Truitt for Hoosier Ag Today, Prevent Swine Flu, Eat More Bacon, Truitt suggets that producers quit fighting the “swine flu” references and simply start making fun of it. I wonder how this will go over. What are your thoughts? Could this work? Here is a clip of that article. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section. (Photo courtesy Hoosier Ag Today)

H1N1 is not a laughing matter; people are sick and dying from this unique virus. The President has signed a document declaring this a national emergency. Some schools are closed; people are standing in line for hours to get H1N1 vaccines; and, last week, some Halloween candy distribution events were called off, a true sign of a pandemic. But if this is really that serious, why are people so uninformed, why is the media so misinformed, and why has it become the latest butt of jokes? Because that is why we do in America when an issue gets overexposed. It moves from being serious to silly. H1N1 is quickly headed in that direction which may allow pork producers to finally repair the damage caused by the Swine Flu association.

For the past several months, the ag industry has been trying to get the media to stop using the term swine flu. This effort has been, for the most part, a failure. Even efforts by USDA, The White House, and several press associations have failed to make a dent in the use of swine flu in stories about H1N1. So, if you can’t beat-em join-em. Let’s start calling it swine flu but in a way that removes all the credibility to the term and thus eliminates people’s connection to the swine industry.

There is a web site that is selling a verity of products with humorous swine flu sayings on them. T-shirts that read, “Prevent swine flu eat more bacon.” They also sell neckties with photos of pigs wearing surgical masks. The internet is filled with funny photos, sayings, and stories all making fun of swine flu. One e-mail message that crossed my desk warmed me to disregard any messages asserting eating canned pork could give you swine flu, it said it was just Spam. There are rumors that a line of special swine flu get well cards is in the works. Perhaps Gary Varvel will do a cartoon showing healthy hogs in a bio-secure confinement facility watching CNN and saying they are glad they are not human so they can’t get swine flu.