By Cassandra Jones
As mothers, we often find ourselves stating words of caution to our children and while some of those get adhered to, others are ignored, despite our pleading. But that is “how our children learn,” so they say, by making choices based upon the information available. When it comes to the introduction of foreign animal diseases like African swine fever (ASF), our desire is that our message and words of caution get heard, and the feed industry acts accordingly NOW to do its part to prevent the introduction or spread of ASF into the United States.
In January, we spoke at the Wisconsin Agribusiness Classic to share the latest information about the virus, what the feed industry can expect during an outbreak and tips to be better prepared now. Since 2018, the U.S. pork industry has been on heightened alert with the spread of the virus into China, the largest pork-producing nation. As research continues to expand on how the virus is transmitted and spread, the U.S. feed industry stepped up and has implemented measures to prevent the introduction of ASF; however, there is more that can be shared and accomplished.
Prevention – the best defense we have against ASF is improving our biosecurity programs now.