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Pork producers look to keep industry safe from diseases like ASF

U.S. pork producers are ramping up biosecurity measures on the farm as African Swine Fever continues to spread throughout China.

Todd Rodibaugh with the National Pork Board says more producers are participating in the Secure Pork Supply Plan, a program that will help producers if a foreign animal disease enters the U.S.

“Producers participating in the Secure Pork Supply Plan will have some route to business continuity meaning, they will be able to continue in moving animals on and off their site provided that they are not infected with a foreign animal disease,” he says.

He tells Brownfield the plan is important because ASF is highly contagious and is a trade-limiting disease.

“Trade is obviously a very important part of the pork industry here in the U.S.,” he says. “It accounts for a little over a quarter of our pork production and so we want to make sure that market channel stays open and do anything we can biosecurity wise to prevent ASF from coming into the U.S.”

The Secure Pork Supply Plan is specifically designed for outbreaks of ASF, Classical Swine Fever, and Foot-and-Mouth Disease. For more information visit securepork.org.

Audio: Todd Rodibaugh, National Pork Board