The fear, as propagated by the food processing industry and other critics, is that drug genes will hop to the chromosomes of plants used for food, contaminating the food supply with vaccines and drugs, in turn triggering costly recalls and potential legal liability.

FORBES: Magazine Article

But despite some problems Smithfield has had a handful of food recalls in the past decade the U.S. meat-processing industry is generally seen as a global leader in food safety as well as being highly efficient.

WSJ: What China Can Learn From America's Hot Dogs

Van Bergen says the park will reduce carbon emissions by cutting down on food processing and transport costs, while stimulating local industry and social bonds.

CNN: Farm in the city could be supermarket of the future

The latest scandal surrounding horsemeat in processed food could be "disastrous" for the meat processing industry, retail analysts are warning.

BBC: Horsemeat scandal: The business impact

The investigations come as Europe's food industry has been engulfed by a meat processing and labelling scandal after multiple processed meat products labelled as beef were revealed to contain quantities of horsemeat.

BBC: Germany investigates organic egg 'fraud'

But four-year-old Baoyuanfeng, like many companies in China's food industry, is relatively small, with a processing capacity of 100, 000 birds a day, according to a profile of the company published on a local website.

WSJ: Poultry-Plant Fire in China Kills More Than 100

And while poor factory safety doesn't necessarily equate to unsafe food, industry officials say workplace problems of any kind around food raise risks it will be contaminated during processing.

WSJ: Poultry-Plant Fire in China Kills More Than 100

Roughly 4.1 million people are directly employed in production agriculture as farmers, ranchers and laborers, but the industry directly or indirectly employs approximately one out of six American workers, including those working in food processing, marketing, shipping and supermarkets.

FORBES: America's Agricultural Angst