Coordinating Efforts to Combat African Swine Fever
Initial reports on this deadly virus began circulating in 2018 causing countries like China to lose more than half of their pork industry. In the past two years, there has not been a lot of coverage in the national news, but the virus has not gone away and has made its way into the southern part of the western hemisphere; 750 miles from the USA border.
So what are the potential pathways into the US market? A recent National Pork Board study shows:
- Legal import of live animals
- Legal import of pork products
- Fomites associated with international movements
- International movement of people
- Transboundary movements of wildlife and vectors
- Intentional and accidental release
What has always been clear is that this disease is deadly and is changing the landscape of the global pork industry, especially in China and SE Asia. in 2020, the USA increased pork exports to China by 525% along with Brazil and Europe who doubled their pork exports.
With the latest emergence 750 miles from the USA, the industry is doubling down on its biosecurity efforts to ensure the USA market is secure. According to National Hog Farmer, the US Ag Department is establishing laboratories in the Dominican, providing PPE and offering additional testing assistance in Haiti.
“There are some fairly simple things producers can do to protect their animals and prevent the spread of the disease, including using caution when hosting on-farm visitors from ASF-positive regions of the world; reviewing biosecurity protocols to ensure consistent use of safeguards; enrolling in the Secure Pork Supply program, a collaboration among the pork industry, the federal and state governments and Iowa State University and the University of Minnesota; and discussing with suppliers the origin of feed ingredients.” National Hog Farmer
As the pork industry embraces more protocols, we are seeing farmers more concerned then ever with where their feed is coming from, how it is being processed and what is going into the animals. This is making many farmers consider the benefits of localized processing using ExPress® soy meal or full-fat soy or becoming a full integrated unit by purchasing Insta-Pro equipment and building their own facilities.
For more information on African Swine Fever, visit: https://nppc.org/asf/
