Latest News From Biosecurity

Germany Plans Wild Boar-Free Zone to Combat ASF, Asks Poland to Help
Germany Plans Wild Boar-Free Zone to Combat ASF, Asks Poland to Help

Germany plans a wild boar-free zone along the Polish border to counter African swine fever and called on Poland to help more in countering the pig disease.

USDA Commits to Help Haiti, Dominican Republic Fight African Swine Fever
USDA Commits to Help Haiti, Dominican Republic Fight African Swine Fever

USDA officials said while unfortunate, the detection of African swine fever (ASF) in Haiti was not unexpected due to recent cases of ASF in the Dominican Republic.

A Look at Day Two of the Leman Swine Conference
A Look at Day Two of the Leman Swine Conference

The 2021 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference wrapped up with speakers presenting on artificial intelligence, vaccine development, Proposition 12 and more. Here are some quotable moments from the day. 

Pigs, People and Influenza: How Does Management Come Into Play?
Pigs, People and Influenza: How Does Management Come Into Play?

Swine influenza is a formidable opponent in swine herds. At the Leman Conference, Gustavo Lopez-Moreno explained how indirect transmission and management practices can facilitate transmission of this virus.

Haiti Reports Outbreak of African Swine Fever
Haiti Reports Outbreak of African Swine Fever

The World Organization for Animal Health confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on the island of Haiti on Sept. 20. This is the first case of ASF virus reported in Haiti since 1984.

DC Signal to Noise: Immigration and Infrastructure Heat Up
DC Signal to Noise: Immigration and Infrastructure Heat Up

AgriTalk's Chip Flory and Pro Farmer’s Jim Wiesemeyer discuss the situation at the southern border with Haitians, the latest on the battle over the infrastructure bills and more.

Swine Industry Applauds USDA Action on Dog Importation Restrictions
Swine Industry Applauds USDA Action on Dog Importation Restrictions

Pork industry groups applaud USDA's effort to establish additional requirements for dogs imported into the U.S. for resale from countries where ASF exists.

African Swine Fever Research Project in Vietnam Examines ELISAs
African Swine Fever Research Project in Vietnam Examines ELISAs

Research continues in Vietnam on ELISA tests for African swine fever, made possible by a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service grant.

Protect U.S. Pig Farmers, Fund ASF Prevention Efforts
Protect U.S. Pig Farmers, Fund ASF Prevention Efforts

Democratic lawmakers urge House leadership for $75 million in funding for USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to prevent and prepare for a possible African swine fever outbreak in the U.S. swine herd. 

Put Guards in Place to Defend Your Farm
Put Guards in Place to Defend Your Farm

Biosecurity on the farm is like defending a fortress, explained Clayton Johnson, DVM, with Carthage Veterinary Service, during USDA’s African Swine Fever Action Week.

Second Case of African Swine Fever Confirmed in Wild Boar in East Germany
Second Case of African Swine Fever Confirmed in Wild Boar in East Germany

A second case of African swine fever has been confirmed in a wild boar in the Uckermark region in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, Reuters reports.

Germany Needs New Pig Farming Strategy to Counter Low Prices
Germany Needs New Pig Farming Strategy to Counter Low Prices

Germany needs to develop a new strategy for the pig farming industry to help farmers who are facing ruinously low prices, German agriculture minister Julia Kloeckner said.

5 Pork Industry Experts Weigh in on the Threat of ASF
5 Pork Industry Experts Weigh in on the Threat of ASF

When it comes time to deliver hard or important news, it’s best-done face to face. We asked five leading experts in the industry what they would tell a producer if they had a chance to sit down with them face to face.

Study Affirms U.S. Pork Industry’s Efforts to Keep ASF Out
Study Affirms U.S. Pork Industry’s Efforts to Keep ASF Out

The time you are most at risk for something is when you don't know it's a risk, says Patrick Webb, National Pork Board acting chief veterinarian. That's why a new study to identify biosecurity gaps is causing a stir.

Vilsack Warns U.S. to Stay Vigilant About African Swine Fever
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. Listen to his video message here.

Piglets_pigs_baby_swine_(10)
African Swine Fever, PRRS Among Hot Topics at 2021 Leman Conference

Organizers are excited to hold the 2021 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference in-person as well as virtually, on Sept. 18-21 in St. Paul, Minn. The event includes a range of swine-health topics, including African swine fever.

CBP Ag Specialists Block Bologna at Border Crossing
CBP Ag Specialists Block Bologna at Border Crossing

A 20-year-old U.S. citizen driving a 2012 Honda Odyssey attempted to bring 320 pounds of pork bologna and 30 pounds of turkey ham through the Paso Del Norte Border Crossing on Aug. 26.

Liz Wagstrom - NPPC
Pork Industry Continues 3-Year Fight Against ASF

With ASF marching westward and now just 750 miles from Florida, the U.S. pork industry’s decision three years ago to pull out all the stops to prevent the introduction and spread into the U.S. seems prescient. 

Germany Faces Long-Term Battle Against African Swine Fever
Germany Faces Long-Term Battle Against African Swine Fever

Germany is facing a long-term battle to eradicate African swine fever carried into the east of the country by wild animals, state and federal authorities said on Wednesday.

Sundberg: Ramping Up African Swine Fever Preparedness and Prevention
Sundberg: Ramping Up African Swine Fever Preparedness and Prevention

Industry groups are ramping up preparedness and prevention protocols in an effort to keep African swine fever from impacting the U.S. swine herd.

ASF Vaccines: Is the Waiting Game Almost Over?
ASF Vaccines: Is the Waiting Game Almost Over?

Although there’s no licensed commercial vaccine for African swine fever available, experts say they are encouraged by the progress that’s been made in the last few years. Here's why.

Missouri’s Feral Hog Problem Turns a Corner
Missouri’s Feral Hog Problem Turns a Corner

Traps. Drones. Sharpshooters. Missouri officials are doing everything they can to control its feral hog population.

U.S. Seeks to Protect Pork Exports if African Swine Fever Virus Hits Territories
U.S. Seeks to Protect Pork Exports if African Swine Fever Virus Hits Territories

The United States said it is seeking to avoid disruptions to pork exports if the territories of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands detect the fatal pig disease African swine fever.

USDA Prepares to Establish Foreign Animal Disease Protection Zone
USDA Prepares to Establish Foreign Animal Disease Protection Zone

USDA announced its intent to designate Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as a “protection zone,” a World Organization for Animal Health designation. Here's what that means for the U.S. pork industry.

Close All the Windows to Keep ASF Out
Close All the Windows to Keep ASF Out

When a storm is brewing on the horizon, you don’t wait until it strikes to close all the open windows. You figure out which windows are open and start closing them one by one until the house is secure. 

Jennifer Shike
It’s Time to Up Your Game

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Those words spoken by an ag instructor, inspired Rob Brenneman to chase after his dream to become a pig farmer even though he didn’t have a pig to his name when he started.

ASF in the Western Hemisphere: What’s Different 40 Years Later? 
ASF in the Western Hemisphere: What’s Different 40 Years Later? 

The global swine industry has changed dramatically in the past four decades. Experts say those changes will play an important role in our country's fight to keep African swine fever out of the U.S.

​​​​​​It's Time to ​Batten Down the Hatches, Pork Industry Experts Say
​​​​​​It's Time to ​Batten Down the Hatches, Pork Industry Experts Say

In the past 40 years, the swine industry has made incredible progress by coming together to fight foreign animal disease introduction from multiple angles. Paul Sundberg, DVM, says we can't stop now.

Dennis DiPietre and Lance Mulberry
It’s Unlikely the U.S. Will Escape ASF

While there are lots of reasons to believe ASF in the Dominican Republic is not a sure sign it will penetrate the U.S. industry, still, everyone has become focused on it and how slippery it is to contain.

USDA to Host Webinar Series on African Swine Fever in September
USDA to Host Webinar Series on African Swine Fever in September

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will host African Swine Fever Action Week on September 13 to 17 featuring daily webinars to tackle the topic of ASF from all angles. Here's how you can participate.

Bulgaria Confirms African Swine Fever Outbreak at Industrial Pig Farm
Bulgaria Confirms African Swine Fever Outbreak at Industrial Pig Farm

Reports of African swine fever outbreaks around the world are picking up. Bulgarian authorities reported an ASF outbreak on a commercial farm with 13,000 pigs in the central village of Apriltsi.

Oklahoma Makes Strides to Decrease Feral Swine Population
Oklahoma Makes Strides to Decrease Feral Swine Population

Efforts to control the feral pig population in Oklahoma are ahead of last year, USDA reports.  ​​​​​​​

hogs-pigs-barn_(24)
Five Steps for Porcine Circovirus Control

Evolving strains of porcine circovirus (PCV) mean careful monitoring and updating management strategies are key to controlling disease associated with the virus, said Clayton Johnson, DVM.

Advances in Sampling for More Effective Enteric Disease Control
Advances in Sampling for More Effective Enteric Disease Control

By creating accurate case definitions and sampling protocols, veterinarians are more likely to successfully detect pathogens and identify treatment options for enteric disease control, said Eric Burrough, DVM.

Sponsored
Biosecurity Doesn’t Cost, It Pays™
Biosecurity Doesn’t Cost, It Pays™

In the science of biology, prevention is your best measure against disease.

Sponsored Content
Liz Wagstrom - NPPC
Keeping Up Our Defenses on ASF

While the U.S. remains free of African swine fever, the recent announcement of ASF in the Dominican Republic underscores the importance of continued detection and biosecurity efforts to protect swine in this country. 

CBP Casts Wide Net to Assess African Swine Fever Threats to the U.S.
CBP Casts Wide Net to Assess African Swine Fever Threats to the U.S.

Pork producers can rest assured that U.S. Customs and Border Protection ag inspectors have been and are continuing to focus “all hands on deck” to protect U.S. borders from foreign animal diseases. Here's why.

Risk and Mitigation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Feed
Risk and Mitigation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Feed

Foot-and-mouth disease virus can be introduced to pigs through the importation of contaminated feed products, confirms a new study performed by researchers from USDA ‘s Agricultural Research Service at Plum Island.

Dry Fog with Common Disinfectants Decontaminates Supply Rooms
Dry Fog with Common Disinfectants Decontaminates Supply Rooms

Hog producers who may be discouraged to learn foggers don’t fully disinfect a supply room should not close the door on the biosecurity method yet. New research led by Erin Kettelkamp, DVM, found a better solution.

South Korea Reports African Swine Fever on Large Commercial Pig Farm
South Korea Reports African Swine Fever on Large Commercial Pig Farm

A South Korea pig farm with 2,400 pigs confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever on Sunday. The country is on high alert to contain the spread of this deadly virus just three months after the latest confirmed case.

Sponsored Content
Avoiding Biosecurity Complacency

Biosecurity is a large factor that plays into the overall health and profitability of a swine operation.

Sponsored Content
Clayton Johnson - Carthage Veterinary System Ltd.
African Swine Fever Moves Closer to Home

For years we watched as the ASF virus jumped from Africa into the Middle East, then into Europe and Russia, and most recently, into China and Southeast Asia. Almost everywhere it goes, ASF sets up shop permanently.

Feds Issue New Rules for Importing Dogs from ASF-Positive Countries
Feds Issue New Rules for Importing Dogs from ASF-Positive Countries

The number of dogs being imported into the U.S. for resale from countries affected by ASF is growing. Combine that with an increasing risk of foreign animal disease spread, and it’s a formula for potential disaster.

Do You Know the Signs of African Swine Fever?
Do You Know the Signs of African Swine Fever?

Do you know the signs of African swine fever? Whether it’s China, the Dominican Republic or elsewhere, ASF doesn’t always present itself with clear symptoms.

Pork Industry Focuses on Keeping African Swine Fever Out of the U.S.
Pork Industry Focuses on Keeping African Swine Fever Out of the U.S.

For the first time in 40 years, African swine fever has leapt back into the Americas. Here's a look at the latest updates on ASF from the Swine Health Information Center.

Nocturnal Hunters in Alabama Take Aim at Feral Pig Problem
Nocturnal Hunters in Alabama Take Aim at Feral Pig Problem

Alabama hunters are now buying licenses to hunt feral pigs and coyotes at night in an effort by the state to try to control these destructive animals. 

SHIC Updates Pork Industry on HP-PRRS and Ebola Viruses
SHIC Updates Pork Industry on HP-PRRS and Ebola Viruses

From high path porcine reproductive and respiratory virus to Ebola virus, are you aware of the latest facts and information about swine disease threats?

Dominican Republic to Kill Thousands of Pigs Over African Swine Fever Outbreak
Dominican Republic to Kill Thousands of Pigs Over African Swine Fever Outbreak

The Dominican Republic will slaughter tens of thousands of pigs after detecting outbreaks of African swine fever in 11 of the country's 32 provinces.

Emphasize Good Health, Management to Improve Thriftiness
Emphasize Good Health, Management to Improve Thriftiness

Health and management are necessary components in producing thrifty, quality weaned pigs. Focusing on females and paying attention to details can make all the difference.

SHIC Adds to Preparedness With Updated PTV and JEV Fact Sheets
SHIC Adds to Preparedness With Updated PTV and JEV Fact Sheets

Updated fact sheets on porcine teschovirus (PTV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) have been posted in the Swine Health Information Center Swine Disease Fact Sheet Library. Here's what you need to know.