Farmscape for September 29, 2021

The Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services’ Swine Health Program says African Swine Fever prevention and response is the responsibility of everyone.
"Steps the U.S. is Taking to Prevent and Prepare for African Swine Fever" was the focus of an ASF Action Week webinar hosted earlier this month by USDA-APHIS.
Dr. Alan Huddleston, the Director of APHIS's Swine Health Program, notes USDA-APHIS is working with other federal agencies, the states, industry and international partners to protect the U.S. swine herd.

Clip-Dr. Alan Huddleston-USDA-APHIS:
Our first priority is to keep ASF out of the country.
ASF has never been detected in the United States and until August of 2021 the disease had not been detected in the Western Hemisphere for decades.
With the recent detection of ASF on the island of Hispaniola, our vigilance is even more critical.
An equally important priority however is to concurrently plan and prepare for our response to a detection of the virus in the U.S. swine population.
Our third priority, recognising that ASF prevention and response is all our responsibility is to provide outreach and education to our stakeholders and the public in general.
So, what can you do?
Report suspect cases, also practicing good biosecurity both on the farm and for those returning from international travel.
Be aware, remembering that pork and pork products from those ASF affected countries are prohibited.
Educate yourself about these restrictions before attempting to bring any trophies, pork or pork products into the United States from abroad or ordering them from the internet.

Dr. Huddleston stresses the impact of an African Swine Fever detection in the United States to the national swine herd, the pork sector, the American consumer and U.S. agriculture in general would be profound.
For more google ASF Action Week or visit Farmscape.Ca.
Bruce Cochrane.

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