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Sunday 22 August 2010

MRSA - British Censorship

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The news of the Danish Ministry of Agriculture publishing a full list, names and locations of their pig farmers who they claim over-use antibiotics should be a “scoop” in Britain, and indeed elsewhere.

It's of fundamental interest to pig farmers. Denmark is hardly a small pork and pig producer and events there impact on markets worldwide.

True, by publishing only in Danish and keeping it to a “fringe” publication, the Danish Agriculture Minister probably hoped to keep the resulting uproar domestic. Understandably, he wanted both publicity within Denmark and silence overseas, but we have no reason to be guided in this way.

It’s big news. Something previously unthinkable in Britain has happened in Denmark. Denmark’s vets are in nose to nose confrontation with their government and their pig farmers are taking all the consequences.

The Danish vets do not want the government, farmers or the public to know which of them are carrying MRSA st398 from farm to farm and beyond and, of course, which farms have MRSA.

It does not matter whether you agree or disagree with the Danish government, this is big news: big news with public health implications

That really matters in Britain, but nothing is published.

Britain’s hopelessly corrupt veterinary drugs industry do not want British farmers to know just what is happening in Denmark.

The media establishment goes along with their wishes, certainly for fear of losing the massive drug advertising revenue.

So I publish on the British newsgroup uk.business.agriculture, through a hail of organised libel and abuse.

It will be fascinating to see who follows the story, who publishes it and in which order. How long will it take for the story to surface?

Will it be in Britain at all? Will it be a national or will it be a farming paper?

Perhaps one of the many forums, farming and veterinary? Will it be password protected or available for all to read?

Will self-censorship triumph?

Please let me know of anyone publishing in English, inside or outside Denmark.