hogs

The American mulefoot hog was once popular, but began to die out in favor of fast-growing breeds suited to confinement. But some farmers hope to renew interest in the hogs — by getting them on menus.

North Carolina lawmakers are taking steps to protect the world's largest pork producer from lawsuits accusing its subsidiaries of creating unbearable animal waste odor.

When Hurricane Matthew hit North Carolina last month, it flooded more than a dozen manure lagoons at hog farms. Environmentalists say it shows that these farms are too risky for the state.

As long as pigs have existed, humans have weighed desire for their meat against disgust for how the animals lived and what they ate. Today we have fresh cause for worry about how pigs are living.

Large-scale hog operations get a bad environmental rap. But when it comes to processing the animals, the industry is a model of efficiency, making use of every last bit in sometimes surprising ways.