Generation of Novel Viruses

"While transmission of new or novel viruses from animals to humans, such as avian or swine influenza, seems a rather infrequent event today (Gray et al., 2007; Myers, Olsen et al., 2007), the continual cycling of viruses and other animal pathogens in large herds or flocks increases opportunities for the generation of novel viruses through mutation or recombinant events that could result in more efficient human-to-human transmission. In addition, as noted earlier, agricultural workers serve as a bridging population between their communities and the animals in large confinement facilities (Myers et al., 2006; Saenz et al., 2006). Such novel viruses not only put the workers and animals at risk of infection but also may increase the risk of disease transmission to the communities where the workers live."
-- from page 13 of Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America, a report released by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production on 29 April 2008.

In other words, these people warned over a year ago that raising animals on feedlots like they're industrial products increases the likelihood of diseases like swine flu developing and spreading.

Pointed out by Michael Pollan on Democracy Now, 14 May 2009. Pollan also said that food (unhealthy diets) is implicated in heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, stroke, cardio-vascular problems. "In a sense, the health care crisis is a euphemism for the food crisis."