The markets are beginning to react to another case of African Swine Fever (ASF) appearing in a market herd of hogs in Germany. With Germany being a major competitor in the global pork market, this could be a good sign for the United States, as a ban on German pork would likely be put in place.
As ASF has been moving its way around the globe, we have been fortunate to keep it out of our shores. It has been as close as the Dominican Republic and Haiti, but our borders have yet to be crossed, thanks to the efforts of many organizations and individuals.
I had the chance to talk with Dr. Liz Wagstrom. She is the Chief Veterinarian for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). She talks about what efforts are being made in the United States to keep our neighbors from sharing this disease. This includes from the farm level, all the way to the national level.
Wagstrom talks about the beagle teams at airports that are searching for any illegal products being brought in. The USDA has also positioned teams in the Dominican Republic to check flights leaving for the U.S.
There are many reports and programs available to help mitigate any foreign animal disease outbreak. This would be critical in the response to any occurrence of ASF. Wagstrom talks about the portal they are building to streamline access to these tools for producers.
Wagstrom outlines what happens in the case of a positive test for ASF in the U.S.
Wagstrom talks about what export options we have if we can keep any outbreaks contained in a region of the United States.
What about rumors that there may be a vaccine available for ASF? Wagstrom goes into more detail.
Learn more about the efforts to keep American hogs healthy at the NPPC website.
