June 17, 2022

USDA announces new campaign to prevent introduction and spread of African swine fever

The US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a new campaign to help prevent the introduction and spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the US through an awareness programme called "Protect Our Pigs", which will support commercial pork producers, veterinarians, and swine owners with information and resources to safeguard the country's swine sector, the USDA reported.

African swine fever has never been detected in the US but it has recently been confirmed in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programmes, said ASF is already wreaking havoc on pork industries and economies around the world, and if detected in the US, it could wreak havoc on the country's swine population, pork industry, and farming communities.

The US is one of the world's largest pork producers and the world's second largest pork exporter. If the disease spreads to the United States, it is estimated that it will cost the country US$50 billion over ten years.

Pork producers, veterinarians, and pig owners are among the first line of defence against African swine fever in the US. More than 60,000 pork producers employ more than half a million people across the country. There are between 250,000 and 1 million potbellied pigs kept as pets, with over 1,500 swine veterinarians.

APHIS is utilising a variety of outreach strategies to assist these important stakeholders. The Protect oUr Pigs website (aphis.usda.gov/ProtectOurPigs) will house materials such as downloadable fact sheets and posters, instructional videos, shareable social media graphics, a new interactive biosecurity guide, and disease updates. If ASF is discovered in the US, APHIS will be ready to provide swine owners and the general public with timely information and resources.

Dr Jack Shere, Associate Administrator at APHIS and former Chief Veterinary Officer, said they are meeting with pork producers to find out how we can best support their ongoing work in this area, increasing swine testing, and conducting innovative vaccine research.

-      US Department of Agriculture