AP report from two pig farms about attitudes and fears regarding swine flu

1. Wide shot of pig farm 2. Close shot, pigs in enclosure 3. Pigs running from barn into pen 4. Close shot, pigs at wire fence 5. Pigs feeding 6. Close shot of pigs 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Francis Gilmore, farmer "As far as working around them, I've never had any problem. And I've been at it for 50 years." 8. Wide shot, farmland 9. Barn where pigs are housed 10. Various, sign reading: "Do Not Enter - Disease Control Area" 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Amy Wilkerson, farmer "You know, we limit the people who are in and out of the barns. In a situation like this, any unnecessary people won't be allowed into the barns." 12. Various, silos 13. SOUNDBITE (English) Amy Wilkerson, farmer: "Yeah, we're going to take one day at a time, making sure we've got all of our safeguards in place. And, we'll still eat pork chops tonight for supper." 14. Wide of farm STORYLINE: The embattled pork industry was on the defensive against misconceptions that pork products are associated with swine flu, as international concerns grew over the new flu strain that is jumping borders. World Health officials raised a global alert to an unprecedented level as the outbreak claimed more lives in Mexico. Richard Besser, acting director of the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), said swine flu cannot be contracted through the consumption of pork or pork products. That message has been echoed by other advocate groups for the pork industry, which are trying to cushion the impact on pig farmers. China, Russia and Ukraine have banned imports of pork and pork products from Mexico and three US states that have reported cases of swine flu, and other governments are increasing their screening of pork imports. Azerbaijan has banned all livestock products from all of North America. Indonesia, which was hit hardest by bird flu, said it was banning all pork imports. Lebanon said all pork products, except for some canned varieties, were banned. Other governments have stepped up their screening processes to prevent the spread of the virus. In Perry, Iowa, local pig farmer Francis Gilmore, says he's worked with pigs for 50 years and has never encountered a health threat. Another local pig farmer, Amy Wilkerson, said that precautions would be taken, and that no unnecessary people would be allowed close to the pigs. But she would still be eating pork chops for supper, she added with a smile. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation raised the alert level to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country. Monday was the first time it has ever been raised above Phase 3. Putting an alert at Phases 4 or 5 signals that the virus is becoming increasingly adept at spreading among humans. Keyword animals You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/9d6bbf481dd67b3caea570909aa33642 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork