BRAZIL-JBS S.A. , which owns and operates the JBS Swift meatpacking facility in Greeley , issued a statement assuring customers that consumption of its pork products was safe in the midst of the swine flu outbreak.
"The company believes that there is no health hazard related to the consumption of pork products," said Jeremiah O’Callaghan, JBS investors relations director, in a Web site statement. "Although the recent outbreak of influenza has been mistitled as Swine Influenza instead of North American Influenza (as communicated by the World Health Organization), there is no evidence that this virus is related to swine production or that the consumption of pork meat represents a health risk."
Pork represents about 14 percent of the company’s total meat production. The Greeley facility only handles beef and lamb. O’Callaghan said any reduction in pork consumption would likely result in a corresponding increase in beef consumption and therefore benefit the company because it is a global leader in beef production.
JBS is the third-largest pork producer in the U.S. , slaughtering about 48,500 hogs each day.
