Vilsack Warns U.S. to Stay Vigilant About African Swine Fever
USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urges the U.S. that it needs to be informed about the devastation African swine fever (ASF) can cause if it reaches the U.S. swine herd.
"ASF has never been detected in the U.S., however it's a very real threat to the U.S. pork industry," he said in a video message on Sept. 8.
Protecting the U.S. hog herd is a high priority for the entire team at USDA. But this is something that they can't do alone, he said. He wants everyone who has a contact with a pig from a large farm owner to people who own a small miniature pig, even international travelers and petting zoo visitors to understand how easily this disease can spread and the importance of keeping U.S. pigs free from this disease.
"We have a series of interlocking safeguards to prevent this disease from entering the U.S. and we believe we have a solid plan for stamping it out if it ever gets here," Vilsack said. "USDA researchers have engineered experimental ASF vaccine candidates that have been licensed to several commercial companies worldwide, and some of these companies have entered into collaborative agreements with the USDA to further develop and eventually use these vaccines to control and stop the spread of ASF."
In an effort to keep the U.S. swine industry informed about this devastating disease, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is hosting African Swine Fever (ASF) Action Week from September 13-17. During this event, U.S. swine producers are invited to join multiple webinars to learn about ASF and what they can do to help protect the U.S. swine herd.
"Be vigilant about your biosecurity practices and be aware of the signs of ASF," he said. "You can also help others understand the ways this disease can be transmitted."
Sign up for USDA APHIS' Stakeholder Registry to receive daily updates during African Swine Fever Action Week. Additional resources will be available to print, post and share. Sign up for the webinars here.
Read more:
USDA to Host Webinar Series on African Swine Fever in September
