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Work continues to prevent ASF from entering the US

African Swine Fever continues to dominate the headlines for the pork industry.

Missouri pork producer and president of the National Pork Board David Newman says biosecurity remains a top priority as parts have of the world have been unable to control the spread of African Swine Fever.  He says seeing how the disease has devastated China’s pork sector is a reminder of what could happen should the disease hit the US.  “But if, if, if it were to happen – there is a plan,” he says.  “And we work on that plan every single day to try to limit the spread of the disease, get our markets open as soon as possible, and then eliminate the disease.”

Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Producers Council says one of the biggest takeaways from watching the disease spread through Asia is the importance of quick diagnosis.  “USDA put in place what they call their active surveillance program,” she says. “Samples coming into the state veterinary diagnostics lab that might be case compatible for something like ASF are now automatically being tested for African Swine Fever and Classical Swine Fever.”

Both Newman and Wagstrom spoke with Brownfield at the recent NAFB meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.