Subscribe here to receive the Influence Feed directly.

Food safety was the second highest profile, with 9,201 mentions in this period. An article in The Intercept drove volume of farming methods conversations. Activities surrounding an activist-motivated capture of two pigs from a Smithfield farm in Utah and an investigation into the incident prompted responses by animal rights supporters.

The politicized situation in Puerto Rico also caused some movement under food safety, based on the situation there with contaminated water and lack of food. A tweet from @ProfSybill (a Harry Potter character) digged at President Trump for tweeting about the inability to keep FEMA and others in Puerto Rico “forever.”

Pork Social Topic Analysis

Animal disease trended highest this reporting period, with 912 total mentions, followed distantly by farm animal welfare with 429 total mentions. Social media conversations spiked on Oct. 6, based on news surrounding “swine flu.”A weekly CDC report on influenza activity was also shared on social media.

Other news included a child who visited a country fair and contracted the first Michigan case of “swine flu” in 2017. Under farm animal welfare, there was an interesting post from @IndivisibleNEIA that stated homes within 3 miles of hog confinements lost 44% in home value. A tweet about farrowing stalls from @animalag also contributed to traffic.