Weenie Roaster of the week

Phil Clemens of Hatfield, PA responded to 60 minutes about “Pork Power”, a segment taped in 1996 about the alleged ills of the pork industry in North Carolina. The segment aired this past Sunday. Congratulations Phil, your “Weenie Roaster” certificate and bumper sticker are in the mail. This is what Phil told them.

I was very surprised that you did not include Robert Kennedy, Jr with Water Keepers Alliance about his comments on hog farm and hog farmers. He has been quoted that hog farmers are greater terrorists that Osama Bin Laden and he will do everything he can to have all hog farms removed from the US, and then he will go after chicken and beef, etc. Some of the people used in the story are connected and have the same "wild" thinking as Kennedy and don't care if they have the facts or can make them up. As Bernie Goldberg once told me, 60 minutes and the other news organizations begin with the end in mind and then interview people to make their point. Your reporting is as accurate as the New York Times.

This was mine, sure would like to see you what you sent them?

In reference to your Power Pork story that aired on June 22, 2003, the “information” you presented was very dated and clearly in line with your agenda to chase food production out of the United States. As a 6th generation United States farmer, I wish the major media outlets in this country would evaluate the credibility of special interest groups before presenting them as experts in the field. Furthermore, if your goal is to be considered anything more than an infomercial, the least you could do is include both sides of the story. You might consider including the view of someone who is actually involved in producing some of the safest, highest-quality food in the world – a US farmer. Maybe your goal wasn’t credible journalism since you felt that pigs should be nominated for academy awards rather than recognizing them for their true purpose – a source of protein and vitamins in a balanced diet.


Sincerely,
Trent Loos
Proud 6th generation livestock farmer
Loup City, NE