African Swine Fever continues to spread globally. More outbreaks have been reported in China and most recently it’s turned up in Belgium and Poland. The spread of the disease concerns most American pork producers. Minnesota Pork Producers Association President Greg Boerboom says the recent case of a Polish export facility sending pork to the U.S. while not following proper export protocols is the biggest red flag.
Following that recent Polish shipment and discovery by USDA’s APHIS, the U.S. suspended pork imports from Poland. Boerboom says it’s important for everyone to step up monitoring of African Swine Fever to keep it out of the United States.
USDA is using beagle dogs to help detect ASF during the inspection process at customs. Boerboom says producers have done a good job in the U.S. and Canada stepping up their biosecurity to prevent ASF and other diseases.
Due to African Swine Fever, China recently culled 200,000 pigs from its herd.
