Latest News From African Swine Fever

Taiwan has begun testing hog herds and putting in place movement controls near where a dead pig infected with African swine fever washed ashore over the weekend.

Eight years of research has led to a disquieting scenario for swine producers: Feed and feed ingredients could potentially serve as means for the introduction and transmission of foreign animal diseases of swine.

A resurgence of African swine fever in Indonesia’s southern East Nusa Tenggara province has reportedly killed tens of thousands of pigs, adding to the long list of recent outbreaks around the globe.

Each year, several thousand dogs enter the U.S. for resale or adoption. In a recent Hogs on the Hill article, NPPC chief veterinarian Liz Wagstrom wrote that it’s time to sound the alarm on importing rescue dogs.

Early detection is critical to control and eliminate transboundary diseases that threaten the U.S. pork industry. Dr. Jeff Zimmerman of Iowa State University says it’s time for a new approach to detect these threats.

Conflicting reports of the severity of African swine fever in China continue to raise questions for the U.S. pork industry. Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack shares insight from the Chinese Ag Minister about ASF in China.

Two people are suspected of dumping pigs along the Yellow River. Chinese authorities have collected at least 48 pig carcasses and are conducting tests, the state media said on Tuesday.

Swine transportation plays a big role in spreading infectious pathogens. Researchers investigated if thermal-assisted drying and decontamination can effectively inactivate ASF virus in the presence of organic materials.

The governments of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic have agreed that intensified hunting of wild boar is needed to combat an outbreak of African swine fever among wild animals.

The reports keep coming of African swine fever outbreaks around the world. The uncertainty is significant when it comes to the 2021 pork outlook, Rabobank says.

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced a new protocol to help ensure bilateral trade will continue if African swine fever is detected in feral pigs.

It’s easy to identify the price of something, but it takes work to understand the value. Gene Noem says that couldn’t be more applicable to the $15-million investment made to fund the Swine Health Information Center.

A new variant of African swine fever in China has analysts weighing a range of scenarios that could play out in the year ahead. 

Reports of new African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks in China are on the rise, in addition to other diseases. Pro Farmer reported on Friday that these diseases are sweeping through the new industrial hog super complexes.

China officials will crack down further on illegal production and sales of African swine fever vaccines in a sign of the extent of a problem that is damaging the world's largest pig industry, the ministry said on Monday.

The cases were detected in Aba prefecture in the southwestern province of Sichuan, and the city of Xiangyang in the central province of Hubei.

German pig prices have risen again as sales inside the EU help markets recover from Asian import bans on German pork, traders and industry sources said on Wednesday.

An outbreak of African swine fever has been confirmed in piglets being illegally transported through Funing county in China's southwestern province of Yunnan, the farm ministry said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists seized 194 pounds of Mexican bologna in February.

Malaysia plans to cull 3,000 wild and domestic pigs after an outbreak of African swine fever in wild boar and backyard pigs in the state of Sabah on Borneo island in mid-February.

South Africa's Western Cape region has reported its first cases of African swine fever at two small farms, after outbreaks in other parts of the country, the provincial head of agriculture said.

Genus sees potential short-term challenges in its drive to help restock China's massive pig farming industry which has faced a surge in disease outbreaks over the winter, the chief executive said on Thursday.

New variants of ASF circulating in China appear to cause a milder form of the disease, making it less deadly but harder to detect and to bring under control, a study published this week showed.

Hong Kong authorities ordered the culling of all 3,000 pigs in a herd after the African swine fever virus was discovered to be spreading for the first time in one of the city's farms.

China's most-active hog futures contract surged more than 4% on Monday and shares of the country's biggest pig producer rallied after recent reports highlighted severe disease outbreaks in the world's largest pig herd.

The COVID-19 pandemic caught our world by surprise. That’s one reason why the Swine Health Information Center is focused on preventing or preparing for emerging diseases. No one wants to be surprised like that again.

Chinese scientists have found a natural mutation in the African swine fever virus they say could be less deadly than the strain that ravaged the world's largest pig herd in 2018 and 2019.

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught the country anything, it’s that there is a tremendous amount of synergy between the circumstances of a pandemic involving humans and those involving animals. 

When Mike Paustian took over the reins as Iowa Pork Producers Association president a year ago, he thought he knew the key issues the industry would be facing. But as he says, that all got “chucked out the window."

A new form of African swine fever identified in Chinese pig farms is most likely caused by illicit vaccines, industry insiders say, a fresh blow to the world's largest pork producer.

Wild pig populations in Canada continue to expand rapidly and are completely out of control in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. A new tool may help control this invasive species. Here's why you should take note.

The three main charges of the Swine Health Information Center haven’t changed throughout the past five years, but the stakes are getting higher as foreign animal disease threats increase pressure on the industry. 

A new $11.65-million investment by the USDA will fund 14 projects to help farmers and private landowners trap and control feral swine.

An arriving passenger was ‘sniffed’ out by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection K-9 at Newark Liberty International Airport, who was trying to import 88 pounds of homemade pork sausages into the U.S.

A recent change in regulatory status may speed up commercial work on African swine fever (ASF) vaccine candidates, said Douglas Gladue, a USDA ARS microbiologist at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center.

African swine fever (ASF) numbers continue to climb in wild boar in Germany. The latest discovery in a wild boar is suspected in a new region in the country.

Invasive species councils in Montana and Washington are serious about preventing Canadian feral pigs from crossing into the western United States. 

The contagious African swine fever (ASF) virus has been reported in Manipur, India.

South Korea authorities are building more fences to raise its guard against the deadly African swine fever virus. Since October 2018, 883 cases of ASF have been discovered in wild boars in border areas.

As African swine fever rages in Vietnam, the U.S. pork industry, through a $1.7 million USDA FAS grant, is studying the virus in real time as the disease breaks on farms across Vietnam. Here's an update on the latest.

As the dust settles on a difficult 2020, the National Pork Producers Council is gearing up for a busy 2021. A new administration and congressional turnover means educating policymakers about pork producer priorities. 

Record-breaking pork exports in 2020 have been a welcome reprieve. But is it possible to continue this growth? Two new reports detail how U.S. can become the supplier of choice for pork to Vietnam and the Philippines.

Officials have confirmed another 42 cases of ASF in wild boar in eastern Germany, the state government of Brandenburg said, as an outbreak of the disease that has halted German pork exports to Asia persists.

From increasing practical livestock biosecurity measures to advancing rapid depopulation and disposal abilities during animal disease outbreaks, Farm Bill funding will support endeavors to protect animal health.

Is it possible to determine where high-risk feed products are coming into the U.S. from ASF-positive countries? Scott Dee and Gilbert Patterson weigh in on a new study that could help the industry mitigate risk.

The first shipment of breeding pigs to utilize the Livestock Export and Inspection Facility at St. Louis Lambert took off for Sao Paulo, Brazil on Nov. 11, making history as they left aboard a Boeing 747-400F.

The race to find a vaccine for African swine fever (ASF) continues across the globe. Vietnam’s minister of agriculture says Vietnam might have a vaccine as early as 2021 following optimistic small-scale test results.

The National Pork Board launches a new digital platform to help protect the swine industry with real-time capability.

By nature, biosecurity isn’t easy. And there’s a cost, too. Jordan Gebhardt, DVM, assistant professor at Kansas State University, explains why biosecurity is a necessary investment for a successful feed program.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Organization for Animal Health have united in a joint initiative to keep African swine fever at bay. Here's what they have in store.