Pork Industry officials say consumers need more education about African Swine Fever and its impacts. According to a National Pork Board survey half of those consumers surveyed said if ASF got to the United States, they’d stop eating pork. South Dakota Pork Producers Council Executive Director Glenn Muller says its’ critical consumers understand that ASF doesn’t transmit from animals to humans and does not infect humans.
He says even if the disease were to arrive in the U.S. there would not be a public health threat from it.
Muller says it’s up to the ag industry to keep informing consumers of the safety of their product and calm fears from any diseases whether it be ASF or the Coronavirus which has been spreading globally.
Muller says U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials are continuing to work on efforts to prevent African Swine Fever from entering North America. He says pork producers have already increased their biosecurity efforts on their operations.
