TOPEKA — A deadly, fast-moving virus is killing many of the nation’s young pigs. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, known by its initials PEDV, is now at epidemic status in in several Great Plains and Midwestern states, including Kansas. Because much of the hog industry has been concentrated into mostly giant food companies, the virus has spread rapidly across the county. Veterinarians say the mortality rate for young piglets that catch the disease is nearly 100 percent. Since PEDV got into the U.S. from China a year ago, it has killed six million hogs or about 7 percent of the nation’s hog herds. It’s the biggest drop in production in more than 30 years. U.S. agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said that current USDA livestock disaster programs aren’t really geared to the types of losses hog producers are suffering from the virus. Any changes to the program will be up to Congress, he said. Although the virus apparently causes no threat to food or humans, it does threaten food prices. Pork prices have gone up 10 percent since the virus got into the U.S. and prices are predicted to increase by at least another 10 percent this year.
Wednesday, April 23, 4 p.m.
