Letter Re: Bacteria-Infected Meat in U.S. Supermarkets

JWR,  
I thought I’d pass this along for your consideration to publish this link: Quarter of Meat Supply Contaminated With Drug-Resistant Bacteria.

This article may be alarming to some of our population, but to most of your readers I suspect it is not a surprise and many have even known or anticipated such an anecdotal report as we’ve been observing an increase in drug resistant bacteria for some time.   

What I took away from this article is the benefit of the extreme care it takes to not only raise animals for consumption (apparent source of pathogens) but thoroughness in dressing and processing animals whether it be field dressing, planned farm harvests or handling meat just prior to cooking/consumption.  It is most likely that folks raising their own meat will be doing so in considerably better conditions than cramped and filth laden feed lots.  However, since pathogens are not discriminating, it is worth pointing out the value of proper practices in raising and processing meat.   

In an effort to be proactive on this matter, maybe someone with farm experience in raising animals for consumption could comment on this.  Particularly someone with pathological training and experience, for example a veterinarian who would be making AB risk assessments on a regular basis.  Factually stepping through the process of husbandry to final preparation of meat for consumption would probably be quite useful and well received by your readers.  

Thank you for your work.  I submit that each and every one of us is a ‘survivalist’ whether we acknowledge it or not.  The difference is the breadth and depth of knowledge and skill to be as independently successful as one desires or finds necessary on life’s journey. In Liberty,  – Ricardo in In Indiana