It's no secret that what goes on inside factory farms is pretty heinous. Not only are these places raising severely abused, terrified and neglected animals, but they're also pumping them full of unnatural diets (hello GMOs!), antibiotics, growth hormones and who knows what else. It's not pretty.
Oh, yeah, and now, a deadly virus (to pigs) that's spread to more than 20 states is wiping out animals and raising pork prices.
Read more about pigs fed GMO "The virus, which is transmitted orally and through pig feces, has left the U.S. hog industry scrambling to curb its spread and has fueled concerns U.S. hog supplies will slump in the spring and summer," reports Reuters.
The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) causes severe diarrhea and dehydration in pigs. U.S. hog industry analysts have estimated as many as 1 to 4 million pigs have already died from the virus since the outbreak began in the spring of 2013.
While the virus doesn't affect humans, it does affect the animals so many humans love to eat. Of course, this means less bacon, which is a tragedy big enough to warrant calling in the National Guard. America without bacon?
Read more about cruelty-free bacon
Good thing we have Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show" to illustrate just how ridiculous our obsession with bacon is: " Hey, it’s your f*&king bacon. Look at it!" He said. "That’s how they make it! It’s not some pig in a giant loft playing shuffleboard and inviting over a spider that writes messages."
You can check out the segment in the video below at the 12-minute mark.
Image: cloud nine
