African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever: Why Vigilance Today Protects Our Pigs Tomorrow

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:43:51 GMT

By Dr. Alan Huddleston, Acting U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) remains committed to preventing African swine fever (ASF) from reaching the United States.

ASF is a highly contagious viral disease, which is harmless to humans but up to 100% fatal to pigs. The disease has already caused significant losses in swine populations across Asia, Europe, and elsewhere.

With ASF Action Week (March 1-7) on the horizon, APHIS continues to focus on keeping animals healthy and prioritize efforts to prevent this deadly disease from reaching the U.S. swine herd. ASF poses a multifaceted threat to the United States, with potentially far-reaching impacts for farmers, producers, the pork industry, and the broader U.S. economy. As we also recognize National Pig Day on March 1, a moment that highlights the importance of pigs to agriculture, science and society, it serves as a timely reminder of why strong vigilance and continued awareness around ASF are so essential.

APHIS’ Proactive Approach

APHIS is focused on a proactive approach to keep the country’s pigs safe. The U.S. has a robust system of existing safeguards in place to protect against foreign animal diseases; however, APHIS continually seeks additional ways to enhance these protections.

It is undeniable that the economic repercussions of ASF would be far-reaching in the U.S. because pork is a staple in many American diets, appearing in everything from breakfast sausages to holiday hams. ASF would cause pork to become scarcer and more expensive, and consumers might turn to alternative protein sources, further disrupting food markets and potentially leading to increased prices as demand for those sources increased.

“The time to act is now, for the sake of our farms, our economy, and the well-being of all Americans.”

Dr. Alan Huddleston

Below are a few ways APHIS has enhanced safety to protect the country from ASF:

Strengthening existing partnerships with Customs and Border Protection staff at ports of entry.
Increasing inspection of passengers and products arriving from affected countries.
Advancing risk-based restrictions on imports of pork and pork products from affected countries.
Continuing collaboration with states, industry leaders and producers to relay the importance of strict biosecurity procedures.
Evaluating and improving response plans that prepare incident management teams to be ready to deploy should a detection occur in the U.S.

Four Tips to Help Prevent the Spread of ASF

APHIS needs support from federal, state, industry partners, and the public to prevent the spread of ASF in the U.S. Here are four simple ways everyone can help:

Avoid bringing pork products across borders and from overseas. Pork-based souvenirs, snacks, and food can carry the virus, even if it has been processed and/or cooked. That’s why it is essential to declare all food products to U.S. Customs when entering the U.S., to protect our agriculture and avoid penalties.
Be cautious when traveling to farms or interacting with wild pigs abroad. Be sure to thoroughly clean your clothes, including your shoes, before you return home. You should also avoid visiting farms, fairs, or anywhere where pigs may be present for at least five days after returning.
Be mindful of wild pigs when hunting or hiking. Hunters or hikers who encounter wild pigs or feral swine can unknowingly spread ASF via their shoes and clothing. Your vigilance can make a difference. If you come across sick or dead feral swine, report it to the USDA Wildlife Services at 1-866-4-USDA-WS.
Spread Awareness. Spread information, not disease! Educating friends, family, and colleagues about ASF and its risks can make a huge difference. Many people are unaware of the virus and its potential consequences to the swine industry and the U.S. Spreading the word helps create a network of vigilance that strengthens our country against ASF.

The time to act is now, for the sake of our farms, our economy, and the well-being of all Americans. Together, we can work to keep ASF out of the U.S. and protect our pigs and food supply for generations to come. Take the first step and visit Protect Our Pigs to learn more about African swine fever.

As Global ASF Pressure Mounts, USDA Calls on Producers to Help

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:49:47 GMT

African Swine Fever (ASF) continues to challenge global pork production. Present in over 50 countries, ASF is persistent in both domestic and wild pig populations. On Feb. 23, South Korea confirmed its 20th case of the season at a pig farm in Euiryeong.

Meanwhile, Spain continues to fight the spread of ASF in its wild boar population. Vietnam has reported nearly 1,000 outbreaks across multiple provinces. Taiwan confirmed its first case of ASF on Oct. 25 . The country recently filed an application to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) to self-declare the nation free of ASF, as no positive cases were detected over the past three months.

The Stakes for the U.S. Industry

Although ASF has never been detected in the U.S., its presence in the Dominican Republic and Haiti—the closest it has been to the mainland in decades—has kept domestic officials on high alert. The economic consequences of an introduction are staggering. Adis Dijab, APHIS Associate Deputy Administrator, warns that an outbreak could cause up to $75 billion in losses over a decade, primarily through herd loss and the immediate closure of international trade markets.

“African swine fever doesn’t threaten human health or food safety, but for U.S. pig producers, its arrival would be devastating,” Adis Dijab, APHIS Associate Deputy Administrator, says in a release. “An outbreak would disrupt domestic production, inflate feed and input costs, and jeopardize access to international markets—putting the entire pork industry at risk.”

USDA Launches ASF Action Week

To bolster domestic defenses, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is hosting its fifth ASF Action Week from March 1–7. The initiative encourages producers of all sizes to review biosecurity protocols and join the effort to keep ASF out of the U.S.

Through the “Protect Our Pigs” campaign, the USDA is providing free resources, including training guides and downloadable materials, to help veterinarians and producers defend their livelihoods. Visit www.aphis.usda.gov/protectourpigs for more information.

ASF does not affect humans but is fatal to pigs. Efforts are underway, but there is currently no commercial vaccine or cure for the disease.

Spain Detects First Swine Fever Cases Outside Initial Barcelona Outbreak Zone

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:44:00 GMT

Two African swine fever (ASF) cases have been detected in Spain among wild boar for the first time outside an original outbreak area near Barcelona, prompting additional restrictions on the movement of people and livestock, regional authorities in Catalonia said on Friday.

The new cases were found near the western towns of El Papiol and Molins de Rei in Barcelona’s metropolitan area, where there are no pork farms, officials said.

ASF is not harmful to humans but spreads rapidly among pigs and wild boar. Outbreaks often prompt countries to restrict their pork imports from countries or regions with active cases.

Spain is the European Union’s leading pork producer, accounting for a quarter of the bloc’s output and with annual exports worth about 3.5 billion euros ($4.2 billion).

The initial outbreak, Spain’s first since 1994, took place in the Collserola hills to the north of Barcelona, with no cases reported on farms.

“It was an expected outcome that at some point one of the boar would move to the south,” the head of the Catalan agriculture department, Oscar Ordeig, told reporters at a media briefing.

He added that it being a secondary outbreak meant the new measures - including disinfection, collection and management of boar carcasses, drone-based searches and an estimation of wild boar population densities in the infected area - would only affect the two towns.

In total, 155 infected pigs have been found in the Barcelona area, with 13 new cases detected in recent days, he said.

($1 = 0.8437 euros)
(Reporting by Joan Faus and David Latona; Editing by David Holmes)

Help Protect the U.S. from African Swine Fever

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 21:45:49 GMT

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) invites U.S. swine producers, small farms, and pig owners to participate in the “I Protect Pigs” Photo Contest as part of this year’s Protect Our Pigs campaign. The campaign, in its fifth year, reinforces steps all pig owners can take to help protect our nation’s swine industry from deadly animal diseases like African swine fever (ASF). This year’s photo contest gives participants an opportunity to highlight how they help this effort on an individual basis.

ASF has never been detected in the U.S. However, since its 2021 detection in the Dominican Republic and Haiti—the closest in decades—USDA has partnered with industry and states to strengthen safeguards that protect the U.S. swine herd. Biosecurity is the best defense, and we want to see how you put it into practice.

Get your camera ready and be creative! Share photos that highlight your biosecurity efforts. Here are some picture-perfect ideas:

Keep farm equipment and vehicles clean
Wear clean clothes and boots near pigs
Use protective gloves when handling animals

There’s no penalty for cuteness, but we’re really looking for how you keep your pigs safe and healthy. Learn more and submit your photo at: www.aphis.usda.gov/iprotectpigs

Join us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and USDA’s Instagram for updates and contest highlights. Through the Protect Our Pigs campaign, USDA is raising awareness about ASF and providing resources to help producers and veterinarians defend their herds and livelihoods.

Free tools—including videos, downloadable materials, and interactive guides—are available on the Protect Our Pigs website. Be sure to check the website and sign up for our GovDelivery email list so you don’t miss contest details and other important updates.

Spain's African Swine Fever Cases are on the Rise

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:00:01 GMT

Spain has recorded 18 more cases of the deadly African swine fever (ASF) virus in Catalonia as authorities bring in drones and helicopters to help contain the outbreak.

On Monday, officials reported 18 additional wild boar deaths, bringing the tally up to almost 50. According to The Independent , officials say the rise was due to wider testing in hard-to-reach areas, explored by air over the holidays. Officials emphasized that this has been an “accumulation” of cases reported, and not a “sudden” spike.

Spain ramped up containment efforts in December, bringing in dogs and military personnel to help track the disease. More than 620 boars have been analyzed in recent weeks, with around 8% testing positive for the virus, the article said.

Investigations into the origin of the ASF strain had focused on a government laboratory situated close to the outbreaks, the IRTA-CReSA research centre, which was using strains of the disease in experimental studies and vaccine development, Pig World reports.

The investigation was sparked after a report by Spain’s agriculture ministry said the strain detected in the wild boar was similar to one detected in Georgia in the 2000s – and not linked to other variants circulating in the EU. It could, therefore, ‘not rule out the possibility that its origin lies in a biological containment facility.’

However, Barcelona’s Institute for Biomedical Research has announced that after testing the variant detected in wild boars, it does not match the strain used by researchers at the lab. The laboratory received 19 samples and, after analyzing 17, it provisionally ruled out the link, suggesting, instead, that the virus may represent a new, less virulent variant, Catalan News reports.

The Catalan government has sent the results to Spain’s agriculture ministry for an official report. According to local news sources, none of the analyzed samples matched the virus from the first two wild boar found dead in Cerdanyola or any of the roughly 800 ASF variants circulating worldwide. The closest resemblance is to the Georgian strain, from which it differs by 27 mutations.

Based on these findings, the IRB believes the virus is a newly evolved, low-virulence variant created through accumulated mutations.

Catalonia’s agriculture minister Òscar Ordeig announced that the first meeting of the Wild Boar Board, which is aiming to develop a strategy to contain Spain’s wild boar population, will be held Jan. 7.

Spanish Police Search Laboratory in African Swine Fever Probe

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 19:38:56 GMT

Spanish police searched a state-funded laboratory near Barcelona on Thursday as part of an investigation into the origin of the African swine fever outbreak in the same area, regional police said.

The court-ordered move follows concerns raised this month that the outbreak detected in wild boars could have been caused by a laboratory leak. Genome sequencing showed the strain is similar to that used in research and vaccine development and different from other cases in Europe.

African swine fever is harmless to humans but can be fatal to pigs and wild boars, and spreads rapidly.

Spain is the European Union’s largest pork producer, accounting for about a quarter of the bloc’s output, and the outbreak has threatened exports, prompting authorities to impose movement restrictions and step up efforts to reassure trading partners.

Police said the search at the Centre for Research in Animal Health (Cresa) was ordered by a local investigating judge and forms part of preliminary proceedings that have been declared secret.

The centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cresa has told the news verification website Maldita.es it had found no evidence of being the source of the outbreak.

The outbreak, Spain’s first since 1994, has been detected only in wild animals in the Collserola hills outside Barcelona, with no cases reported on farms.

Authorities have discovered the virus in 26 wild boar carcasses in the six km (four-mile) confinement area imposed by authorities after the outbreak. Cresa is located within the same area.

(Reporting by Jesus Calero, editing by Andrei Khalip and Ed Osmond)

How is Spain's ASF Outbreak Impacting Global Pork Trade?

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:24:30 GMT

Since African swine fever (ASF) was recently confirmed in Spain in a wild boar for the first time since 1994, the virus has now been confirmed in at least 11 more wild boars, found dead in the same area near Barcelona.

Spain is the European Union’s largest pork producer and the No. 2 global pork exporter, trailing only the U.S. The area where the boars were found, the Catalonia region, accounts for about 8% of Spain’s hog production.

Due to China’s recent ASF regionalization agreement with Spain, China only suspended imports from establishments in Barcelona province, explains U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President for Economic Analysis Erin Borror.

South Korea also recognizes ASF regionalization for 14 EU member states, including Spain, so Korea will continue to accept imports from regions of Spain not affected by the virus, she adds.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and all EU member states will also accept imports from ASF-free regions of Spain.

Trading partners suspending all pork imports from Spain include Japan and the Philippines, which are Spain’s second- and third-largest non-EU export markets, respectively. Malaysia, which is sixth-largest and where Spain holds 35% market share, also suspended all imports, along with Mexico, Taiwan and Thailand. Borror points out those closed markets may provide some incremental export opportunities for U.S. pork.

“I think Spain is really a success story and something that the U.S. industry should aspire to, because they were very quickly regionalized,” Borror says. “Only about a third of Spain’s exports to third-country markets are fully suspended, so that means the majority of their trading partners have accepted EU regionalization, at least the majority based on volumes.”

As she considers the big impacts from this situation, Borror says there should be some opportunities for U.S. pork in Japan, thinking mostly frozen loins.

“For Malaysia, I am optimistic,” she adds. “With the potential for a mix of cuts, and just given the limited facilities eligible globally to supply that market, there should be some incremental business for the U.S.”

Britain Lifts Blanket Ban on Spanish Pork Imports, Adopts Regional Controls

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 19:46:31 GMT

Britain said on Wednesday it would allow pork imports from parts of Spain unaffected by African swine fever (ASF), reversing a blanket ban imposed last week after the country reported its first cases of the disease in more than three decades.

The move aligns Britain with the European Union’s regionalization approach, which restricts trade only from outbreak zones.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said imports from the Barcelona area would remain suspended, while pork from other regions could resume.

“Following an outbreak of African swine fever in Spain, all fresh pork and other impacted products from the region affected are restricted,” a Defra spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.

It said that “exports from disease-free areas of Spain can continue as normal”, adding that they would continue to monitor the situation.

Spain confirmed nine ASF infections in wild boar near Barcelona, prompting emergency measures in Catalonia, a region central to pig farming. The virus does not affect humans but is fatal to pigs and has no vaccine or cure.

Spain is the EU’s largest pork producer and a major supplier to Britain, shipping 37,600 tonnes of pork so far this year worth over 112 million euros ($130 million).

The decision comes after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged Britain and other trading partners to continue buying from regions outside the containment zone.

Spain resumed shipments to China from unaffected regions earlier this week after Beijing narrowed its restrictions to Catalonia.

Other countries including Mexico and Canada have yet to adopt the same approach as the EU and Britain, and they continue to block pork from across Spain, Spanish officials said.

A task force of EU vets began work in Barcelona on Tuesday to help contain the outbreak.

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti and Nigel Hunt; Editing by Catarina Demony)

African Swine Fever Outbreak in Spain Prompts Military Mobilization

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 14:37:24 GMT

Spain’s military emergency unit was deployed on Dec. 1 to help contain an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) near Barcelona. On Nov. 28, Spain confirmed the f irst outbreak of ASF since 1994 in wild boar .

Two wild boar were found dead in Collserola Park, about 13 miles from Barcelona. They tested positive for ASF, prompting establishment of a 3.7-mile exclusion zone around the affected area. Officials suspect the wild boar ate contaminated food such as a sandwich, Reuters reports.

The infected area is close to the AP-7 highway, which is a major transport route that links Spain and France, Reuters reports. The absence of infected wild boar in Catalonia and France suggests human transportation of contaminated food could have introduced the deadly virus.

Although ASF poses no human health or food safety risk, the virus rapidly spreads among domestic and wild pigs and causes a significant economic risk to Spain, one of the world’s largest pork exporters.

As of Saturday, about one-third of the country’s pork export certificates had been blocked as a result of the outbreak, though no farms have been affected so far, the article said. Of the 400 export certificates to 104 countries, a third are blocked, including Mexico, Taiwan and China. Pork operations within a 12.4-mile radius of the initial infection site are facing operating and sales restrictions.

On Sunday, eight more wild boar suspected of having ASF were found near Barcelona, according to La Vanguardia newspaper. According to Reuters , the newspaper cited sources close to the Catalan agriculture ministry.

To date, two cases have been confirmed, while 12 others have shown signs they may also have the disease but are undergoing tests to confirm this. If confirmed, it would bring the number of infected animals to 14.

Read more about the history of ASF in Spain:
Sánchez-Vizcaíno Tells How Spain Stopped African Swine Fever

South Korea Raises African Swine Fever Alert After Outbreak at Pig Farm

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:38:03 GMT

South Korea said on Tuesday there had been an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) at a pig farm in the country’s largest pig-breeding region, prompting authorities to raise the national alert level to “serious”.

Some 1,423 pigs were culled due to the outbreak at a farm in Dangjin, South Chungcheong province, and authorities were closely monitoring for further infections at around 140 related farms, South Korea’s Agriculture Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry had also issued a 48-hour “standstill” order for all pig farms and other livestock facilities in the country to curb the risk of further spread.

It was the sixth isolated outbreak of ASF in South Korea this year, but the first time in South Chungcheong, which is the largest pig farm region in the country and an area that had not seen a previous outbreak, the ministry said.

The ministry ordered all resources available to be mobilized to prevent the spread of ASF.

(Reporting by Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies)

Taiwan Reports First Case of African Swine Fever

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 01:57:06 GMT

Taiwan has confirmed African swine fever (ASF) on a pig farm located on the western coast of the island nation. This is the first ASF occurrence in Taiwan, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Because of increased mortality rates, samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory for diagnosis on Oct. 21.

On Oct. 25, the outbreak was confirmed as ASF.

Control measures have been implemented since the samples were sent out for diagnosis. There were 301 susceptible pigs on the affected farm with 109 ASF cases noted and 106 deaths, the report said. The remaining 195 pigs on the farm were euthanized.

According to WOAH, all appropriate response actions are being taken in Taiwan to limit the spread.

Figure 1. Site of African swine fever diagnosis in Taiwan, October 2025.

(World Organisation for Animal Health)

“Taiwan is approximately 100 miles (160 km) off the southeastern coast of mainland China, separated by the Taiwan Strait,” the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) reports. “However, the closest point is much narrower, with some smaller Taiwanese-controlled islands, like Kinmen, being just a few miles from the Chinese mainland. Taiwan’s northernmost island is only 79 miles (128 km) from the northernmost island of the Philippines, Mavulis Island in Batanes.”

Taiwan had recently become the only country in Asia formally recognized by WOAH as free from both ASF and classical swine fever. This dual recognition was solidified in May 2025 during the WOAH General Assembly, the report said, following Taiwan’s self-declaration of freedom from ASF on July 2, 2024. The ASF-free status is nullified by the recent diagnosis, SHIC reports.

The Central Emergency Operations Center for African Swine Fever said the farm in Taichung, where the initial case was reported, remains under a lockdown after testing positive for traces of the ASF virus, the Taipei Times reports. The military has taken over sterilization operations at the site from the Taichung City Government, which has twice tried and failed to accomplish the task, the center said.

Citing the World Organisation for Animal Health regulations, the center said that Taiwan must have no ASF cases for three months after the last reported incident before its ASF-free status can be restored.

New WOAH Guidelines for ASF Vaccine Use and Field Evaluation

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 16:08:36 GMT

In May 2025, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) adopted their first international standard for African swine fever (ASF) vaccines. With this recognition, the global swine health community has formally acknowledged the role that ASF vaccines may play in controlling and mitigating the disease. This is a major step forward, as WOAH standards are the basis for regulations recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) for international trade in animals and animal products. These standards directly shape countries’ import and export regulations.

The Swine Health Information Center is pleased to share this update provided by Andres Perez and Rachel Schambow from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for Animal Health and Food Safety.

Following the adoption of the standard, several countries asked WOAH to provide guidance for evaluating ASF vaccines in the field. In July 2025, WOAH convened a panel of experts from different regions and specialties to develop a set of guidelines. Dr. Perez served as a member of this WOAH ad hoc Group on ASF Vaccines: Field Evaluation and Post-Vaccination Monitoring. The first version of the guidelines developed by the panel has recently been released.

Key points from these documents and relevant scientific publications include:

1. Current ASF vaccines use live attenuated (modified live) strains of the virus and are not inactivated or killed. This means some virus shedding is expected from vaccinated animals, and adverse side effects are possible. Countries will need to evaluate these potential adverse effects against the potential benefits of using vaccines.

2. Due to virus shedding, the nonspecific clinical signs of ASF, and the absence of a serological test to differentiate vaccinated from infected animals, it may be challenging to define what constitutes an ASF case during vaccine evaluations or implementation.

3. Evaluating adverse side effects may be difficult and will require careful study design. Side effects can be expected from modified live vaccines, such as the ASF vaccine. Specific triggers, such as specified levels of adverse signs or specific types of signs, should be defined in advance to support evaluation.

4. Governments and producers must define in advance whether the vaccine is being evaluated to reduce the impact of ASF or to eliminate it entirely. The design and requirements of field evaluations will differ depending on the intended goal.

5. Ongoing surveillance and monitoring of vaccinated animals are essential to assess adverse effects, monitor for reversion to virulence or recombination, and evaluate vaccine effectiveness over time.

6. Evaluations and trials should be transparent, with clear protocols, data sharing, and support through public-private partnerships.

The science around ASF vaccines continues to evolve rapidly. When these guidelines were drafted, only Vietnam and the Philippines had implemented field use of ASF vaccines, and only in pigs older than 10 weeks destined for slaughter. Since both countries are net pork importers, there is little information yet on how international markets might respond to vaccine use. In this ever-changing space, this new standard and evaluation guidelines provide a framework for countries considering the use of ASF vaccines. Producers and veterinarians should stay engaged to understand how ongoing changes in ASF vaccine protocols and evaluation may impact them.

Latvia Confirms African Swine Fever on 20,000-Head Pig Farm

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 19:31:17 GMT

Baltic Pork Ltd., a 20,000-head farm in central Latvia has confirmed an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF). The farm is located in Laubere Parish, Ogre Municipality, the Food and Veterinary Service (FVS) reports to the Baltic News Network . The FVS is a state authority under the Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for national supervision and control of the food chain and the veterinary sector.

In order to prevent further spread of the disease, all pigs at the facility will be culled, FVS says. The agency is carrying out disease control and containment measures at the affected site, as well as an epidemiological investigation.

One of the major efforts has been setting up a quarantine zone around the infected farm. Within this area, FVS will step up inspections of pig health and compliance with biosecurity requirements, the article said. Pig and pig product movement have been restricted in the quarantine zone.

“The FVS stresses that the risk of ASF introduction into farms is currently particularly high – the virus is present in the environment and can easily be brought into facilities via footwear, clothing, equipment, or transport,” Baltic News Network reports. “Pig keepers are reminded that regardless of the size of the holding, the only way to protect pigs from infection is strict compliance with biosecurity rules.”

Baltic Pork board member Daiga Ļubka explained in the article that the outbreak is very serious and the impact and scale of losses isn’t known yet. They need time to determine the numbers and assess the situation.

Baltic Pork breeds crossbred pigs from Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc lines, which are mainly sold on the Latvian market, the article said. The piglets raised by the company are also sold to grow-finish farms and some are exported.

Latvia has had eight ASF outbreaks in domestic pig farms this year.

• In May 2025, ASF was discovered in a backyard farm with 36 pigs in Džūkste Parish, Tukums Municipality.

• In early July, ASF was found in a smallholding with six pigs in Glūda Parish, Jelgava Municipality.

• At the end of July, an ASF outbreak was confirmed at a farm with 55 pigs in Rosme, Iecava Parish, Bauska Municipality.

• In mid-August Nygaard International Ltd., a farm with 4,900 pigs in Ģibuļi Parish, Talsi Municipality, confirmed ASF.

• In late August, ASF was confirmed in a household farm with 65 pigs in Babīte Parish, Mārupe Municipality; another with three pigs in Dāviņi Parish, Bauska Municipality; and in yet another smallholding with three pigs in Babīte Parish, Mārupe Municipality.

In 2024, ASF affected seven farms and 585 domestic pigs across Latvia. Ten years earlier, ASF was first confirmed in Latvia in June 2014, when three wild boars tested positive near the Belarusian border.

ASF is a deadly disease of swine, though it poses no human health or food safety risks. It is devastating to the global pork economy.

Scientists Crack Genome of Soft Tick That Threatens Pigs and People

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:56:27 GMT

Scientists at Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Baylor College of Medicine have mapped the DNA of a tick that can spread African swine fever (ASF), a deadly disease in pigs. Not only is the Ornithodoros turicata tick a potential vector of the ASF virus, but it also carries human relapsing fever — a severe bacterial infection.

Researchers say the sequenced genome will allow further study of chromosomes linked to specific biological functions. Co-author Pete Teel, AgriLife Research entomologist and Regents professor in the Texas A&M department of entomology, says this will create opportunities for researchers to develop novel tools to control the pest.

“Physiology, development and reproduction of these ticks is all based on their genetics, and this allows us to open the doors to those discoveries,” Teel says in a Texas A&M AgriLife release . “Those discoveries create opportunities for novel genetic tools we might use for surveillance and control measures against the tick and the pathogens it carries.”

A Mysterious Foe
The O. turicata ticks in this study originated from specimens collected in 1992 from an infested cave in Travis County, Texas, and have been maintained in a colony at the Tick Research Laboratory at Texas A&M AgriLife Research.

(U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

These secretive ticks are cavity dwellers that live in animal burrows, caves and root hollows, as well as under pier-and-beam buildings. They blood-feed on animals that visit those environments.

Experts say they can live longer than five years without a blood meal. Meanwhile, female ticks can transfer pathogens to their offspring — making them vectors of disease and pathogen reservoirs.

The mapped genome opens up a new avenue of research to study the tick, its life cycle and biology, as well as tick-pathogen interactions, explains Job Lopez, Ph.D., senior author of the study and associate professor in the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

“It’s one thing to generate a genome, but there’s a lot of postprocessing once you’re done with sequencing,” Lopez says. “Our goal was to generate a high-quality, chromosome-level genome instead of a highly fragmented genome that is challenging to work with.”

Many gaps in knowledge of this tick remain, Teel says. For example, very little is known about how they disperse from one cavity to another and how closely related they are across their wide geographical range.

“We have a basis now to really look at population genetics, and we are looking at the vast geography that we’re discovering for this species from Florida all the way through the High Plains, throughout the Southwest and down to Mexico,” Teel says. “This is a huge step toward the connection of surveillance and development of control.”

How Can This Help the Pork Industry?
Soft tick relapsing fever cases in the U.S. are rare, researchers say. Between 2012 and 2021, there were 251 confirmed cases. There have been four confirmed cases since — including one in Colorado last year. According to the Centers for Disease Control, most cases occurred in western states. Symptoms range from fever, headache, muscle aches and chills to joint pain, nausea, vomiting and rare instances of facial paralysis and vision changes.

“While soft tick relapsing fever poses a threat to human health, ASF represents a potential catastrophe for the U.S. pork industry,” Texas A&M AgriLife said in the release. “About a decade ago, ASF spread globally due to the trade of infected domestic swine that directly transmitted the virus to each other. The disease gets its name ‘African swine fever’ from the natural cycle involving ticks, the virus and warthogs — a cycle in which warthogs do not get sick but maintain the virus.”

Since O. turicata is a vector of ASF and has been shown to feed on wild pigs, this study suggests having this genome available could be critical if ASF were to be introduced in the U.S. or Mexico.

“Texas has all the puzzle pieces for the emergence of a natural cycle for the African swine fever virus,” Lopez says in the release. “We have the tick and African warthogs in Texas — and one of the largest populations of feral hogs on the continent. That’s where the significance of this tick vector comes into play.”

The team collaborated with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) SCINet project and Ag100Pest Initiative to develop the first complete genome assembly for this ectoparasite. Their findings were recently published in G3: Genes | Genomes | Genetics .

Researchers Alexander Kneubehl, Baylor College of Medicine, and Amanda Stahlke, Ph.D., Colorado Mesa University, as well as Mackenzie Tietjen, Ph.D.; David Luecke, Ph.D.; Perot Saelao, Ph.D.; Sheina Sim, Ph.D.; Scott Geib, Ph.D.; Brian Scheffler, Ph.D.; and Anna Childers, all with USDA-ARS, contributed to the study.

African Swine Fever Outbreaks Escalate in Vietnam

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:42:38 GMT

African swine fever (ASF) is showing signs of resurgence across Vietnam. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment say widespread underreporting and concealment of outbreaks are threatening disease control efforts, according to Viet Nam News .

During an ASF prevention meeting in Hà Nội on Tuesday, Phan Quang Minh, deputy director of the Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary Medicine, shared that since the beginning of 2025, 514 outbreaks have been recorded in 27 provinces — affecting over 29,000 pigs, the article says. Of these, more than 30,000 pigs have died or been culled. Across 20 provinces, 248 outbreaks remain active today — with nearly 20,000 pigs infected.

As compared to the same period in 2024, the number of outbreaks has decreased by 41%, the expert shared, and the number of pigs culled has dropped by more than 60%.

However, officials say the risk of continued transmission remains very high. Minh warns they are seeing signs of ASF firing back up, particularly in small-scale, low-biosecurity farms where old outbreaks are re-emerging.

Six key factors are contributing to the ASF resurgence, Viet Nam News reports. These include:

Widespread small-scale farming without adequate biosecurity
Low vaccination uptake despite vaccine availability
Concealment of outbreaks by farmers
Illegal and unregulated slaughtering practices
Weak enforcement of veterinary laws
Limited communication on disease control regulations

Viet Nam News says unofficial reports from local residents, media outlets and inspection teams have confirmed that disease concealment is rampant in many areas.

Vietnam’s livestock sector contributes approximately 25% of the country’s total agricultural output. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phùng Đức Tiến told Viet Nam News the country will lose its growth momentum if they cannot control ASF.

In the first six months of 2025, the livestock sector has grown 5.4%, in line with its annual target, the article says. Pork output has risen by 3.8%, while poultry increased by 3.4%.

To strengthen ASF prevention and control, officials propose:

Tighter penalties for hiding outbreaks and trading infected pigs
Expanded vaccination coverage
Improved biosecurity at farms
Enhanced capacity of local veterinary authorities
Stricter disease surveillance
Early detection and reporting
Immediate culling of infected pigs
Stronger controls on the transportation, slaughter and sale of pigs and pork products

South of Vietnam, in the Western Malaysian state of Penang, authorities recently confirmed ASF in three pig farms in Kampung Selamat. This area has over 60 pig farms and 120,000 pigs, officials report in Malay Mail . Other cases have been confirmed in the Philippines and South Africa, while the virus continues to spread in the European wild boar population.

ASF is not contagious to humans, but it deadly in pigs and causes devastating losses for farmers and economies.

Read more about ASF here.

How is the U.S. Swine Industry Staying A Step Ahead When It Comes to Swine Health?

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 19:07:28 GMT

Keeping one step ahead of the health of the U.S. swine herd is no easy task. Anna Forseth, DVM, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) director of animal health, says developing a highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) response plan for the swine industry and establishing the National Swine Health Strategy have been two major priorities this year.

H5N1 Response Plan
“We’ve been watching the devastation of H5N1 in the poultry sector, and more recently, the detection of H5N1 in the dairy industry,” Forseth says. “And all the while thinking, how might this impact the swine industry should we get a detection, especially in the commercial swine sector?”

The differing responses in the poultry and dairy industries to the same virus have a lot to do with how the virus is regulated for those two different species. There are attributes of the response in both sectors that just would not work well in the swine industry, she explains.

The U.S. swine industry convened a small group of the national organizations, state veterinarians, state associations and producers to draft a guidance response plan should the H5N1 virus get into the commercial swine herd. Forseth says the focus of this guidance is really on business continuity opportunities.

“Let’s use the example of a sow farm. If a sow farm were to get infected with H5N1, especially in the absence of a vaccine, it would be really challenging to eradicate the virus in the short term,” Forseth says. “What can be done to allow for those pigs to be weaned from that farm until that farm can get to a point where they’re stable or eradicate the virus?”

She says much of the plan focuses on sidebars like increased biosecurity, movement controls and surveillance to try to reduce the risk that they’ll continue to spread the virus, but still allows them to move pigs off that farm.

The response plan was submitted to USDA in late January. USDA is also working on their own guidance response plan, she notes.

“We have been in conversation with USDA about what a potential response may look like,” Forseth says. “I think over the next few months we’ll have some additional conversations where we can address areas of the plans that don’t necessarily match right now.”

National Swine Health Strategy
African swine fever prevention and preparedness efforts have been a focus for several years now. Forseth says the pork industry decided it was time to revisit priorities to ensure they best fit the current situation.

“We decided we should expand the scope,” she says. “Initially we were planning to expand it to the other two foreign swine diseases. But given the feedback we’ve received from producers over the last two years, with a lot of emphasis on endemic diseases, we decided to initiate the development of a National Swine Health Strategy.”

The strategy is being led by the National Pork Board. During the next few months, Forseth says they will talk with producers and ask a simple question: What are your current challenges or concerns?

“We are asking them to provide one to three examples,” she says. “Then, they have an opportunity to expand on how they think we as national organizations, research institutions, state associations, etc. could help them address those challenges.”

An industry advisory group will come together later this summer to compile and evaluate the feedback and then redefine or establish a new set of priorities. Forseth says she expects they will be a combination of endemic health challenges and foreign disease priorities.

“There’s also a possibility that there are some priorities that don’t have anything to do with disease,” she points out. “Specifically, we might talk about nutrition, biotech or labor. We’ll see what comes out of some of those listening sessions and a producer survey that will be out for the next several weeks.”

At the end of the day, the National Swine Health Strategy is meant to reestablish swine health priorities that will be shared more broadly.

“It’s not just going to be kept with the national organizations,” Forseth says. “We’ll share it with academic institutions, with USDA Agricultural Research Service, and really any other entity that works in the area of swine health. The goal is for everyone to be focusing on the producers’ needs.”

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How Does Storage and the Freeze-Thaw Cycle Affect African Swine Fever Virus Detection?

Mon, 12 May 2025 21:45:49 GMT

Early detection of African swine fever (ASF) is crucial to prevent and control outbreaks. A new study shows ASF can survive several freeze/thaw cycles, making it easier to enhance biosecurity and detection efforts.

Due to the lack of an effective and safe vaccine to control and prevent ASF, current approaches rely on enhanced biosecurity to prevent the introduction of ASF.

“Early detection is one of the most important factors to determine successful implementation of biosecurity,” researchers shared in a Frontiers in Veterinary Science article .

Environmental samples can help evaluate the level of biosecurity. A group of Kansas State University scientists evaluated the effect of freeze–thaw cycles and storage at 4°C and room temperature (RT) on ASF virus DNA detection in environmental samples.

The study showed ASF virus DNA was stable in environmental samples with no organic contaminants after freeze–thaw and incubation at 4°C and RT. However, incubation at RT negatively affects ASF virus detection in swine feces and feed dust samples that were collected using premoistened gauze, the study shows. Researchers found significant reductions in ASF virus detection in environmental samples in the presence of soil and organic mixture after freeze–thaw and incubation at 4°C and RT.

“These results provide novel insights on the appropriate storage of environmental samples for ASFV detection and contribute to the control and prevention of ASF outbreaks and new introductions,” the article says.

Environmental sample detection is affected by several factors: choice of sampling devices, appropriate sample collection from the targeted area, rapid transportation of samples to the diagnostic laboratory and the validated assays for ASF virus DNA detection.

In modern swine production systems, samples are usually shipped to a diagnostic laboratory in a few days, researchers note. Although overnight shipping of samples is not uncommon in the U.S., some countries experience delayed sample transportation, resulting in greatly compromised diagnostic sensitivity.

Most environmental samples contain a variety of organic contaminants, in which different types of proteinases, DNases, and RNases can potentially degrade nucleic acids and/or inhibit subsequent molecular analysis, the article says.

Storage of Samples
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sample storage conditions on ASF virus DNA detection in environmental samples.

“Environmental samples have been used to monitor disease status and the distribution of infectious agents in swine herds after a disease outbreak,” the authors explain. “For example, following a PRRS outbreak, viral RNA remained detectable up to 14 weeks post-outbreak in environmental wipes and the sensitivity of environmental samples was similar to blood samples. In addition, environmental sampling revealed the extensive contamination and distribution of PRRSV RNA on contaminated farms, such as exhaust fan cones, door knobs, anteroom floors, mortality carts/sleds.”

As well, long-term persistence and extensive contamination of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) RNA was found after an outbreak, and the results of environmental samples were useful to implement a modified biosecurity protocol. As compared to endemic viruses, it is impossible to monitor the disease status in ASF virus-affected farms over time because the affected herd is readily culled for control purposes, the authors add.

Environmental samples can be used to evaluate the level of cleaning and disinfecting process for the re-introduction of animals after the ASF outbreak. In addition, they are valuable sample types to detect ASF virus on equipment and transportation vehicles in affected areas, in order to reduce ASF virus transmission between farms.

In this scenario, authors advise that environmental samples should be properly collected and immediately shipped to the diagnostic laboratory at 4°C. If this is not possible, data supports and recommends freezing the environmental samples before shipping.

“We found when using different sampling devices with differing organic contamination levels, there were minimal reductions in ASF virus DNA concentrations; even after three freeze–thaw cycles, the amount of ASF virus DNA recovered still is likely to generate positive PCR results,” the authors say.

The data provided in this study provide a baseline understanding of handling of environmental samples for the detection of ASF virus DNA, the article says. This can then be used to establish the appropriate biosecurity procedures for ASF virus preparedness and response.

ASF has not been detected in the U.S. It is a deadly disease of swine (domestic and feral), but it poses no risk to human health or food safety.

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New Wave of African Swine Fever Kills 2,500 Pigs in India

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 14:09:57 GMT

The state of Mizoram in India is battling a new outbreak of African swine fever (ASF), claiming 2,527 pigs so far in 2025 and forcing the culling of nearly 1,000 more to contain the spread of this deadly disease, officials said in United News of India .

A Guwahati-based laboratory reported the outbreak on March 20. Since then, the outbreak has primarily affected four urban areas — Siaha, Lawngtlai, Zawlnuam and Luglei. Authorities say rural areas remain unaffected for now.

Siaha has been the worst-hit area with 1,347 pigs lost, followed by Lawngtlai with 1,001 pigs lost.

Though the virus has caused the most losses in urban areas, animal husbandry officials say they are closely monitoring the situation and working to avoid its spread to rural areas.

ASF is a deadly disease of pigs only and poses no food safety risks. However, the devastating disease has caused major economic impacts globally.

Mizoram has witnessed recurring ASF outbreaks in recent years, the article said, impacting both livelihoods and food security in the state where pork is a staple protein source.

Read More About ASF.

It's Complex: What is African Swine Fever's Toll on the Environment?

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:28:03 GMT

A significant knowledge gap exists around the environmental impacts of African swine fever (ASF), particularly in terms of carcass disposal and the pollution risks associated with it, says Mikayla Schlosser, a student at University of Minnesota’s Veterinary School.

Her study sought deeper understanding of the environmental impacts of ASF, particularly in response to practices such as mass depopulations and carcass disposal in the Philippines.

“ASF has significantly affected swine populations and economies globally since its emergence, but there is limited research on its environmental effects,” Schlosser says.

To fill this gap, Schlosser and colleagues with the Center for Animal Health and Food Safety at the University of Minnesota conducted a scoping review of existing literature on the environmental impacts of ASF, finding minimal literature relevant. Then, they conducted an exploratory, qualitative systems mapping exercise with 18 private and public veterinarians in the Philippines who have experience with ASF response efforts.

She says the exercise explored the environmental impacts of ASF during the pre-outbreak, immediate response, and endemic/long-term management phases.

“The research identified stakeholders involved in decision-making related to ASF’s environmental impacts and highlighted concerns such as the potential contamination of water from carcass burial, gaps in surveillance, and threats to native swine species,” Schlosser says. “The findings will inform future research and policy development in the U.S. to mitigate the potential environmental and economic damage of potential ASF outbreaks.”

The scoping literature review revealed minimal relevant research, underscoring the urgent need for further studies to better understand how ASF affects environmental health, she points out. Additionally, the systems mapping exercise highlighted the complexity of ASF’s environmental impact, involving multiple stakeholders and concerns such as water contamination and threats to native species.

“This emphasizes the importance of learning from other countries’ experiences to develop more comprehensive and effective mitigation strategies prior to ASF entrance to the U.S.,” she says. “Findings can also help U.S. producers by providing insights into the environmental risks associated with ASF outbreaks and response practices.”

Schlosser says by understanding the potential pollution risks from practices like carcass burial and identifying key stakeholders involved in decision-making, producers can better prepare for and respond to ASF outbreaks in a way that minimizes environmental harm.

“The findings can also inform policy development and guide producers in implementing strategies that protect both their operations and the broader environment,” she adds. “The lessons learned from countries like the Philippines can help producers in the U.S. anticipate challenges and prevent environmental and economic damage before ASF reaches their regions.”

Schlosser was one of 15 students who competed in the Veterinary Student Poster Competition at the AASV annual meeting. Read more here.

“Prepare to Be Tired, But Professionally Fulfilled” at 2025 AASV Annual Meeting

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 19:19:40 GMT

Swine veterinarians will be gathering in San Francisco, Calif., on March 1-4 for the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Annual Meeting. The theme of this year’s conference is “Be the Pig’s Champion.”

“Veterinarians are uniquely qualified through their training to serve as the pig’s champion among all of the other stakeholders in swine health and management,” says Locke Karriker, DVM and program chair of the AASV Annual Meeting. “The goal of this year’s meeting is to celebrate the role of veterinarians in caring for and advocating on behalf of pigs in whatever environment they are found.”

Many of the traditional favorite sessions continue this year, such as Practice Tips, Research Topics and discussions about how to advance disease elimination, explains Karriker, Morrill Professor and Director of the Swine Medicine Education Center.

In line with this year’s theme, the 2025 scientific program has something for everyone, says Abbey Canon, DVM, AASV director of public health and communications. Seminars will dive into artificial intelligence in swine medicine, effective herd visits as early career veterinarians, care of pigs that aren’t raised for immediate consumption, global hot topics and influenza to name a few.

New sessions include a Pre-Conference Seminar on using AI (ChatPIG) and a session focused on individual pig medicine in the concurrent sessions on Monday. Attendees will also be invited to attend the first Angela Baysinger Memorial Lecture on swine welfare.

“Dr. Karriker put together an extraordinary program planning committee with many early-career veterinarians who had not previously served on this committee,” Canon says. “This group recognized what is important to the health of all pigs and what is important to any veterinarian who sees swine. They put together a scientific program that will exceed your educational expectations.”

A Little Advice
The AASV Annual Meeting is packed full of opportunity.

“Soak it all in, engage with your colleagues and consider attending an AASV Committee meeting on Saturday,” Karriker says.

Canon reminds attendees to take a close look at the scientific program in advance as well as the social activities to best plan your day.

“Don’t be shy – really! This is among the most welcoming environments for current, future, or potential swine veterinarians,” she adds. “Introduce yourself to a speaker, link with someone on the mobile app, attend a committee meeting, visit the tech table exhibits, congratulate an award or scholarship recipient, or just say hi to someone during a break. You never know where a new connection might lead you.”

For Canon, this meeting is special because of the people it draws each year.

“We have a fantastic lineup of speakers and timely topics, celebrations to honor and acknowledge the hard work and talent of veterinarians and students, fun social and networking activities,” Canon says. “But my favorite part – the part that keeps me going on day 5 as a staff member with very little sleep – is seeing familiar faces and welcoming new ones. I get especially energized after visiting with students during the student reception on Sunday evening and meeting the up-and-coming generation of veterinarians.”

Learn more about the AASV annual meeting, see the schedule, and view the lineup of speakers here . Onsite registrations will be available beginning on March 1 for veterinarians, veterinary students and current AASV affiliate members.

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African Swine Fever: How One Student is Searching for Vaccine Solutions

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Meet Carolyn Lee, our latest addition to Farm Journal’s PORK’s Up & Coming Leaders feature. We are showcasing some of the fresh, new voices of the pork industry who combine innovative thought and work ethic with scientific savvy and a passion to make a difference.

Age: 27
Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio
Education: Bachelor’s degree, The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio; pursuing PhD, College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University

Q. How did you become interested in the swine industry?
A. Before joining graduate school at The Ohio State University, I did not have much interaction with the swine industry, outside of seeing pigs at the local county fair. However, growing up in Ohio has allowed me to gain a deep appreciation of the importance of a rich agricultural industry. A short while after joining graduate school, I was given a project that involved engineering and testing a novel African swine fever (ASF) vaccine developed at OSU. During this project, I developed a deep interest in the swine industry and how my research has the potential to help the pork industry face disease challenges.

Q. Describe (briefly) any internship experiences you’ve had.
A. During the summer before my senior year of undergraduate school, I had a summer internship in Dr. Scott Kenney’s laboratory at in the Center for Food Animal Health at OSU. This is where I was first exposed to zoonotic disease research that aims to prevent and control diseases that make animals sick and in turn have the potential to transmit to humans through the food supply. During this internship, I saw the impact I could have on making animals and people healthier, and this ultimately led me to pursuing a graduate degree in the field of animal health.

Q. Describe your undergraduate research experiences.
A. I was fortunate to attend The College of Wooster, which, since 2002, consistently ranks in U.S. News as America’s premier college for mentored undergraduate research. It was there that I completed a senior independent study capstone project, relating to cystic fibrosis disease progression, and gained a solid foundation in the skills needed to pursue a career in research.

Q. Describe any other swine-related experiences you’ve had as a young person.
A. Joining the Real Pork Scholars Program has been a life-changing experience for me, as someone relatively new to the swine industry. This program has allowed me to better connect with the pork industry outside of the laboratory setting and has allowed my research to be more translatable to the producers. Furthermore, through this program, I am gaining communication and networking skills that will be valuable as I enter the workforce.

Q. Tell us about your current research.
A. The research I am conducting in my graduate program involves the evaluation of a novel nanoparticle-based African swine fever virus (ASFV) vaccine platform. The preliminary study assessing immune responses following vaccination provided us with promising results, that we will use to apply for further funding to evaluate our vaccine’s protection against ASF challenge. We are very fortunate to have a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) facility on our OSU campus, which is equipped to safely work with the virus in containment.

Q. What is your generation’s greatest challenge?
A. The threat of foreign animal disease introduction into the U.S. remains the greatest challenge for our generation going into the swine industry. However, I am confident in the resilience of the pork industry and am proud to be a part of the industry leaders working to help the industry be better prepared for such events.

Editor’s Note: Lee is part of the National Pork Board’s Pork Scholars Program, intended to develop highly trained professionals who are dedicated to a career in the U.S. swine industry. The program includes a research component with a cooperating university, a practical on-farm experience with an industry cooperator and cross-training across more than one academic discipline (i.e. genetics and data science).

US Swine Health Improvement Plan is Top Priority, Adams Says

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 18:47:02 GMT

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) submitted comments on codifying the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) as a federal regulatory program under USDA. US SHIP is a national industry-driven voluntary program to establish health certifications for foreign animal diseases (FADs) including African swine fever (ASF) and Classical swine fever (CSF).

“US SHIP is a top priority for us,” Chase Adams, NPPC assistant vice president for domestic policy said at the Ohio Pork Congress. “Now that final rule is out, we need to make sure US SHIP has the resources needed to stay afloat.”

US SHIP would allow U.S. pork operations to obtain certification that they are free from FADs. Similar to the National Poultry Improvement Plan, these certifications could be referenced for interstate commerce and international trade. The plan’s components include traceability of animals, feed biosafety, farm biosecurity, feral swine mitigation, disease surveillance and transportation sanitation.

“US SHIP can serve as a platform for safeguarding, improving and certifying the status of swine health. It will be an important tool for demonstrating that pork operations are free of disease, which can expedite the resumption of trade following an FAD outbreak,” NPPC said in a release.

While administered by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), US SHIP is designed to be an industry, state and federal partnership. APHIS would be advised on swine health and disease management matters by a committee of pork producers and other industry and state animal health participants.

“NPPC strongly supports the development of US SHIP, the appropriation of funds for it, and the transition of the program to APHIS. NPPC pointed out in its comments that without US SHIP, an FAD outbreak in the United States could stop pork exports for more than 10 years at a cost of $50 billion. Even if the FAD were controlled and pork exports resumed within two years, losses are estimated to be $15 billion,” the organization said in a release.

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What Does Biosecurity on Pork Operations Look Like to You?

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 18:14:46 GMT

The only cure at this time for African swine fever (ASF), a deadly virus that affects swine, is prevention. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) is looking for entries in its ASF “I Protect Pigs” photo contest.

This contest promotes the importance of good biosecurity behaviors by encouraging the public to submit a photo of owner/pig safety practices in action. Entries will be accepted until midnight on Feb. 14.

Winners will be featured on APHIS’ site and social media channels to help promote the important role biosecurity plays in foreign animal disease prevention.

Here are a few picture-perfect ways to safeguard America’s swine:
• Limiting on-farm traffic
• Wearing clean clothes and shoes around pigs
• Washing on-farm equipment and vehicles
• Preventing contact with feral pigs
• Storing feed where wildlife can’t get it
• NOT eating ‘people-food’ near animals

Winners will be announced during the week of March 3, in celebration of National Pig Day (March 1). For more details about the contest and to enter, visit IProtectPigs.com .

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A Look Behind the Scenes of the 2025 SHIC Plan of Work

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 14:05:04 GMT

Oftentimes, the process is more important than the results. There’s no question the 2025 Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) Plan of Work lays out a multitude of important topics to tackle in the year ahead. But for SHIC Executive Director Megan Niederwerder, DVM, the process that goes into developing this plan is just as, if not more important.

“The whole premise of SHIC is to be responsive and nimble to best serve the U.S. pork industry,” Niederwerder explains. “We want to be able to shift resources when and where they’re needed. This consistency with the annual plan of work process allows us to ask those questions to stakeholders on a routine basis.”

Each year, SHIC works with producers and stakeholders to solicit ideas and research priorities to best know how to delegate resources to help the industry. Niederwerder finds the stakeholder engagement process of talking to producers, veterinarians, diagnostic labs and state pork associations incredibly valuable.

“We have listening sessions where we ask, ‘Where are your emerging disease priorities? What are you seeing in your herds? Where can SHIC provide value to you in designating resources towards a problem or an issue or perhaps explore the use of a new technology?’” she explains.

Having that constant line of communication with stakeholders is really important, because SHIC needs ears and eyes on day-to-day operations so SHIC’s plan of work can adjust as needed to changing pressures in the industry.

Big Topics in 2025
As you look through the plan of work, a theme emerges. Typically, biosecurity is thought about from an on-farm perspective, Niederwerder says. But this year, you’ll see a different biosecurity theme.

“Our plan of work this year has really identified and prioritized some new areas that we can consider from an industry perspective about biosecurity risk areas,” she adds. “Our goal is to be able to then develop new tools and technologies to better protect the swine industry.”

One of those areas is looking at the packing plant and how the swine industry can assist in preparedness, Niederwerder says. Research will look at novel tools and technologies for cleaning and disinfecting lairage for continuity of business if there is an emerging disease and the packer is affected, allowing business continuity for pork producers.

“Another aspect is how do we decrease the risk of pathogen contamination at that trailer-harvest plant interface?” she says. “This research centers around reducing the risk of trailer contamination after market pigs are unloaded, so that the trailer does not serve as a mechanism or route for pathogen transmission back to the farm.”

They will also look at cull sow or secondary market biosecurity. How can the industry better monitor disease in that population and reduce the risk of disease transmission back to the farm from secondary markets?

SHIC also seeks to develop new tools for on-farm diagnostics, especially looking at air sampling or environmental sampling or even wastewater sampling, she says.

“We are thinking about ways to automate sample collection to reduce labor required,” Niederwerder says.

She’s also excited about some new tools that will come out later this year, including an online global disease dashboard. It will give producers and veterinarians the option to select a country or to select a disease, and see what’s happening in a given country around the world.

Here’s a look at the 2025 priorities:

Improve Swine Health Information
- Domestic disease monitoring through veterinary diagnostic laboratory data collation.
- Domestic disease monitoring through voluntary reporting to the Morrison Swine Health Monitoring Project.
- Strategic summary of SHIC swine health and disease work-to-date.
- Webinars to inform veterinarians and producers about emerging swine health issues.
- Maintaining up-to-date swine disease fact sheets.
- Ensure timely and valuable communications across all stakeholder audiences.
Monitor and Mitigate Risks to Swine Health
- Real-time assessment of high-risk product importation and traveler entry at borders.
- Global disease monitoring to identify and inform international swine disease risks.
- Foster information sharing with government and allied industry through international animal health organizations.
- Transport biosecurity through targeting a regional or production phase approach.
- Designing effective cleaning and disinfection tools and practices for swine transport trailers.
- Packing plant biocontainment to reduce risk of trailer contamination at the dock.
- Packing plant tools for effective cleaning and disinfection of lairage for business continuity.
- Personnel movement as a risk of disease spread between farms.
- Enhancing biosecurity of mortality management practices to reduce disease transmission back to farm.
- Novel ventilation technologies for cost-effective bioexclusion and biocontainment.
- Cull sow and secondary market biosecurity and disease surveillance.
- Multi-species livestock operations and backyard farms as a risk for emerging disease spillover.
- Role of rendering in emerging disease transmission and response.
Responding to Emerging Disease
- Emergency disease preparedness and response planning in coordination with state, federal and industry stakeholders.
- Monitoring risk of African swine fever recombinant genotype I/II virus to US prevention and preparedness.
- Rapid deployment of research funds for a newly emerging disease.
- Investigating production and swine health impacts of porcine sapovirus as an emerging pathogen.
- Hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome (HTS) as a potential emerging disease in US swine.
- Utilizing Standardized Outbreak Investigations to identify high risk events for pathogen entry.
- Identification of early disease outbreak warning signals from industry data.
Surveillance and Discovery of Emerging Disease
- Wastewater sampling for emerging disease surveillance.
- Tongue tip fluids as a diagnostic sample to target risk-based mortality populations.
- Genome-based diagnostic technologies for emerging disease detection and forensic analysis.
- Diagnostic fee support to assist in early detection of emerging disease.
- Population and environmental surveillance technologies to improve and automate diagnostic testing.
- Increasing utility of VDL submissions as an effective surveillance stream for detection of emerging disease.
- Investigate the clinical relevance and epidemiology of newly identified agents in VDL submissions associated with swine disease.
Swine Disease Matrix
- Updating bacterial and viral swine disease matrices to prioritize swine pathogens.
- Using the swine bacterial and viral disease matrices as guidelines for research to enhance swine disease diagnostic capabilities.

Find the 10th anniversary 2025 SHIC Plan of Work here.

Get Engaged with SHIC
Niederwerder encourages producers to stay in touch. Sign up for SHIC’s monthly newsletter. Get involved in working groups to provide input on SHIC’s plan of work process. Check out the website’s stakeholder input mechanisms to share ideas. And, of course, Niederwerder encourages producers to reach out to SHIC staff as priorities emerge on farm.

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Adopted Wild Boar Can Stay with Her Owner, French Court Rules

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:54:05 GMT

A wild boar adopted by a French horse breeder can remain with her owner, a court ruled on Thursday, after threats by authorities to remove and even euthanize her triggered a storm of protest.

Found as a tiny piglet near garbage bins outside the horse farm of Elodie Cappe in Chaource, central France, in April 2023, “Rillette” has now grown into a large sow with a bristly brown coat who runs around between the horses and dogs on the farm and loves to cuddle with her owners.

After early attempts to release the boar back into the wild failed, Cappe had Rillette sterilized and vaccinated, provided her with an enclosure and put in several requests with the regional prefecture for authorization to keep a non-domesticated animal.

The requests were all rejected while local authorities threatened to confiscate or euthanize the animal and Cappe faced potential prison time and a fine of up to 150,000 euros ($154,000) for “capturing or detaining wild animals”.

The case riled up animal rights campaigners, made headlines and sparked a petition and a local demonstration. Even movie icon Brigitte Bardot pleaded to let Rillette stay on the farm.

In a ruling published on Thursday, the Chalons-en-Champagne administrative tribunal ordered the prefecture to reconsider the application to keep the animal and ordered the state to pay 1,500 euros in damages to the hog’s owner.

“This is a great victory, the court really wiped out the prefecture’s arguments. The fact that we had the media behind us really made a difference,” Cappe said, adding that she will donate the damages paid to a charity.

Cappe said Rillette - jokingly named after a regional dish of shredded pork - was unfazed by the news.

“She is just playing, she does not care. She belongs with us,” she said.

($1 = 0.9739 euros)

(Reporting by Lucien Libert, writing by Geert De Clercq, editing by Ros Russell)

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Proposed Rule Would Establish U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan as a Federal Regulatory Program

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:58:42 GMT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) requests public comments on a proposal to establish an official program for safeguarding, improving, and representing the health status of U.S. pigs.

APHIS has piloted the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) with industry aimed at certifying participating sites as monitored for African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF) since 2020.

APHIS announced its intent to propose a rule to build upon the pilot program and establish US SHIP as a national voluntary livestock improvement program.

Under the proposal, APHIS says it would create sectors for various types of swine herds and production facilities centered on production methods and disease risk. Participating sites would be able to obtain certifications of disease-monitored status for ASF and CSF.

“These sites would be able to market their products with the relevant certification status, which could limit disruptions to international and interstate commerce in the event of animal disease outbreaks,” APHIS wrote.

As part of US SHIP, APHIS would establish a General Conference Committee composed of swine producers and other industry and state animal health participants to advise APHIS on matters of swine health and disease management.

The plan models the program on the successful National Poultry Improvement Plan, a voluntary collaborative effort among industry, state and federal partners to address and correct avian health and trade issues. A similar working system for the swine industry could be used to support the current and future health assurance needs of the 21st century U.S. pork industry, APHIS wrote.

Beginning on Jan. 31, APHIS will accept public comments at www.regulations.gov. All comments must be submitted on or before January 30, 2025.

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The Future of Swine Health: Insights and Preparations for 2025

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:49:45 GMT

By Cameron Schmitt, DVM, executive vice president of Pipestone Veterinary Services

It’s time for 2025 predictions. The past two years have been challenging for most producers as the market has offered few times to lock in profits. Recently, the market has improved and forward prospects at the time of this writing do look good for the coming year.

Regarding pig health, I have three major predictions and offer my recommendations for farmers in preparing for the year ahead:

PREDICTIONS
1. Post-weaning E. coli will continue to challenge many systems.
Over the past five years, there has been a significant increase in the challenge producers face with E. coli post weaning. This is likely driven by many factors – some of them being:

Duroc boar lines with lower resistance to this pathogen.
Pressure to cut costs by removing animal-based proteins and sugars from diets.
Reduced use of antimicrobials nationwide.
The shift from Nursery-to-Finish to Wean-to-Finish systems.

2. Disease will continue to pressure U.S. swine producers.
While there are no major health breakthroughs on the horizon, endemic diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), Mycoplasma and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) will persist. The industry must remain vigilant against emerging PRRS variants, as history shows a new, more virulent strain often appears every three to four years. An increase in virulence from the severity of the current viruses hopefully will push our industry towards standards of biosecurity that today we cannot agree on.

3. The risk of African swine fever (ASF) introduction remains a serious threat.
The virus can spread rapidly through both direct and indirect contact, and its introduction would have devastating consequences on the swine herd, with the potential for culling significant populations and a collapse of pork exports due to trade restrictions. In response to these threats, the USDA and the pork industry have been working on enhancing surveillance, tightening biosecurity measures, and improving rapid response systems. If these initiatives remain successful, the U.S. swine industry will likely be able to keep ASF at bay, but it will require continued vigilance, especially in light of global trends in animal movement and the rise of international trade.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Develop a targeted plan for controlling E. coli.
Work with your veterinarian to address post-weaning E. coli. Strategies include:

Dietary modification of nursery diets, by inclusion of a complex carbohydrate source, the addition of elevated levels of zinc oxide, or other changes
Acidification of the site water system targeting a pH ~4.0 at the piglet drinker
Vaccination – a novel vaccine is coming to market shortly that has shown progress in the research barns
Environmental sanitation – use of whitewash or other protocol

2. Implement proven biosecurity protocols to reduce the risk of spreading endemic swine diseases.

Biosecurity measures at most wean-to-finish sites are poor at best. Implementation and execution of basic biosecurity are low cost, but are not being performed – how do we hold ourselves accountable?
Truck sanitation: It’s concerning that in some areas, washing and disinfecting trailers after hauling pigs isn’t standard practice. This lax approach is a key reason why PED rates spike during the winter. Work closely with your haulers to ensure trailers are cleaned and disinfected. Hold them accountable if expectations aren’t met—clean trailers are non-negotiable for protecting herd health.
Depop-repop strategies: When a severe PRRS strain is identified, depopulating and repopulating can be an effective way to halt its spread. Too often, infected pigs continue shedding the virus, leading to outbreaks across neighboring farms. By stopping the transmission at its source, we can help minimize the spread of severe variants and reduce the risk of the next “new” strain taking hold.

3. Stay prepared for ASF.

Complete your Secure Pork Supply plans. Having a plan for your site will at a minimum give you a starting point if we have an introduction of ASF into the U.S.
Implement and execute biosecurity protocols.
Stay connected with happenings at the National Pork Board and other industry groups to stay up to date.

Each new year brings its share of challenges and opportunities, and 2025 is no exception. By taking proactive steps now, producers can strengthen their operations and contribute to a healthier, more resilient swine industry. The road ahead may not be easy, but with preparation and vigilance, we can meet the challenges head-on.

Let’s make 2025 a year of progress and growth—our industry’s future depends on it.

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