March 9, 2020

USDA will ban all swine shipments if ASF detected

The US Department of Agriculture (ASF) said it will stop all swine shipments entering the United States for a minimum of three days if African swine fever (ASF) is found in the country, reported Reuters.

The ban will stop farmers from transporting swine to slaughterhouses as well.

The United States federal government is getting ready to quarantine and eliminate ASF should a case be discovered in the country to prevent a similar outbreak like in China.

The ASF outbreak in China killed more than 40% of the country's total swine herd and pushed prices for pork to record highs globally amid China's effort to supplement its dwindling pork supplies.

ASF has been discovered in 10 Asian countries.

An ASF outbreak in the United States will cripple the country's US$7 billion pork export market, affecting top producers like Tyson Foods, Smithfield Foods and WH Group.

Experts have recommended that ASF infected swine and other swine in the same area be culled immediately as there is no vaccine or cure for the disease.

The USDA said the best way to dispose dead swine will be to bury or convert them to compost. The agency will also pay for virus elimination at a flat rate according to the size of the affected facility.

-      Reuters