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(WCCO) You will start hearing and seeing what's been known as the "swine flu" referred to with a more accurate and less damaging name. Facing pressure from the U.S. pork industry, government scientists are now referring to the virus which is causing the flu pandemic as the H1N1 virus or Novel Influenza.

Novel means a "new strain" of influenza. Public health experts think this name will keep people from being confused by the more generic term, swine flu.

Minnesota pork producers are hoping that's the break they need to correct a damaging public perception.

Since word of the original outbreak began spreading from Mexico and around the world, the term "swine flu" quickly created some harmful misconceptions. Perhaps biggest of all is the natural link or inference the name conjures with our consumption of pork.

According to the Centers for Disease Control you can't contract the illness by eating pork. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food.

At Dehmer's Meats in St. Michael, Minn., the chops, loins, bacon and hams are still made to order.

While third generation butcher, Tony Dehmer, is braced for a pork backlash, he hasn't seen it yet.

"We haven't had a single call whatsoever on anybody asking if it's OK or safe to eat pork," Dehmer explained as he zipped through some chops.

But unfortunately the misconception over the term "swine flu" is already affecting area hog farmers.

"That's their bread and butter. So if the market isn't high enough... then they've got to hold onto (their pigs) and dump more feed into them until the consumer feels its safe to eat the products," said Dehmer.

Hog prices have already fallen off sharply -- down 15 to 20 percent in just the past few days. Much of the decline is attributed to a decision by Russia and China to suspend U.S. pork imports until the outbreak runs its course.

Agricultural economists said the outbreak's science doesn't justify the move and call it an overreaction and political posturing.

"It's frustrating," said Elk River hog farmer, Doug Manthei.

He and his wife, Deb Manthei, raise about 1,000 hogs on their farm in Sherburne County. Not only have they farmed hogs for the past 30 years, they also have a side business catering pig roasts during much of the summer.

They hope to squash any fears on the part of consumers, saying "know that they don't have to worry about (getting) it from eating pork."

The couple never could have imagined they'd be fighting off public misconception.

Doug Manthei admits, "There's really nothing we can do about it, ya know. It's in peoples' minds and what they think and only time is going to relax that."

While the pork industry continues to fight public perception over the influenza outbreak, the U.S. pork market is fighting off falling prices.

For hog farmers, like the Mantheis, it's adding to their woes. Their margins have been hurt in recent years by high corn and grain costs brought on by the demands of the ethanol industry.

Doug Manthei said the market price for his hogs is about 20 percent less than what it costs to raise them.

Worse yet, spring is when hog prices typically rise with the increased consumption of pork brought on by summer barbecues. Instead, hog prices have fallen.

"It's going to take some farmers out -- there's no doubt about it. So, you just have to try to hang in there if you can," Manthei said.

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