Dangerous vomitoxin found in some U.S. corn could sicken livestock, people

[jpak]

Source: Bangor Daily News

CHICAGO — A fungus that causes “vomitoxin” has been found in some U.S. corn harvested last year, forcing poultry and pork farmers to test their grain, and giving headaches to grain growers already wrestling with massive supplies and low prices.

The plant toxin sickens livestock and can also make humans and pets fall ill.

The appearance of vomitoxin and other toxins produced by fungi is affecting ethanol markets and prompting grain processors to seek alternative sources of feed supplies.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture first isolated the toxin in 1973 after an unusually wet winter in the Midwest. The compound was given what researchers described as the “trivial name” vomitoxin because pigs were refusing to eat the infected corn or vomiting after consuming it. The U.S. Corn Belt had earlier outbreaks of infection from the toxin in 1966 and 1928.

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Read more: http://bangordailynews.com/2017/04/24/news/nation/dangerous-vomitoxin-found-in-some-u-s-corn-could-sicken-livestock-people/?ref=latest

[Achilleaze]

1. After GMO - glyphosate corn is rendered for ethanol, subsidized by US taxpayers,

the scuzzulous mutant waste from that process is then fed to pigs or cows or other livestock. After they get fat, they are slaughtered and fed to the human beings.

What could possibly go wrong with this industrial-chemical-gmo, numbed-out, irritable-bowel, food-production system?

mal apetite !

[2naSalit]

2. +1

[Achilleaze]

9. the truth

of course.

check it out for yourself.

And then read response #3 from a farmer who saw how f*cked up industrial chemical - GMO livestock meat production is, and chose a responsible alternative pathway.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. What is it about livestock eating agro-industrial waste that you do not understand?

The post was clear and did not merit your personal attack.

[Achilleaze]

11. to paraphrase, it's hard to get a person to understand

something when their livelihood depends on them not understanding.

And then, just for good measure: you are what you eat.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Yeah, the quote from Upton Sinclair

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it." -- Upton Sinclair

[NickB79]

13. You did see that outbreaks go back to 1928, right?

Amazing, Monsanto must have perfected time travel.

[Rural_Progressive]

3. And now you know why meat raised by responsible farmers costs more.

According to the article ethanol producers sell a byproduct called distillers dried grains (DDGs) as animal feed. But the refining process triples the concentration of mycotoxins, making the feed byproduct less attractive. DDG prices in Indiana fell to $92.50 per ton in February, the lowest since 2009, and now are selling for $97.50 per ton, according to USDA.

We drive 250 miles round trip to pick up feed that has NO corn or soy, is certified non-GMO and is grown in fields that are not treated with Roundup or the generic glyphosate. It costs us $460 per ton not including the time, fuel costs, or equipment wear and tear. Just the feed alone is 5x the cost of what the CAFO pork delivery system growers pay.

We charge about twice what the "pork" you buy in the grocery store costs you. Our animals get to be pigs, they are raisedout doors, the sows give birth in sheds not devices that separate them to stand up for days at a time and all our animals are treated with respect and consideration.

I'm not posting this to get customers, we don't ship our meat. I'm posting it in the hopes that some of you will look for a farmer doing what we do in your local area. By supporting their efforts to provide you with safe, nutritious, delicious pork and make enough money to keep doing it you will allow people like us to keep doing what we love to do.

Thanks for your consideration

[Achilleaze]

7. Bueno !

[Sunlei]

4. animal feeds, dog foods have NO regulations will this crap be in pet food?

This year a bunch of dogs died from pet food contaminated with euthanasia drug. Company 'blamed' their "meat supplier".

lots of corn in pet foods. corn glutton is considered a 'protein' for dogs food.

"massive supplies", to many Corps growing corn and smaller farmers have a very hard time these days. Same thing is happening to dairy industry. Corps with 6,000 cow dairies make life very hard for 200 cow dairies.

Without TPP trade deals, we don't even have the Asian pacific market anymore.

[mainer]

5. Pigs are smarter than we are

They refuse to eat the stuff.

[Rural_Progressive]

6. Trust me, when pigs get hungry they will eat the stuff.

They prefer not to, but they will when they get hungry and that's how the CAFO people get away with feeding what they feed.

[NickB79]

14. Pigs are cannibals if given the chance.

I've seen them eat other pig's piglets with a full trough of feed in front of them.