NPPC Encourages Stepped Up Biosecurity and Participating in Available Programs to Address ASF Market Disruptions

The National Pork Producers Council is encouraging U.S. pork producers to step up their focus on biosecurity and to take advantage of the various programs available to help maintain market access in the event of an African Swine Fever outbreak.

Last month representatives of the National Pork Producers Council, the National Pork Board and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Foreign Agricultural Service traveled to the Dominican Republic for a first hand look at the African Swine Fever situation on Hispaniola.NPPC Director of Animal Health Dr. Anna Forseth says there is a few actions producers should be focusing on.

Clip-Dr. Anna Forseth-National Pork Producers Council:

The first would be just generally to continue to stay aware of the situation and to be informed.I think that helps when you understand what the situation is and ultimately what your risks are.Prepare for business continuity, so talk with your state veterinarian, talk with your state pork association.There are variety of programs that producers can take part in now while we're in peacetime that are going to be a big benefit to them if we are to get a foreign animal disease in the country.

A couple of those would be the Secure Pork Supply Program, AgView, also a product funded through pork producers, the Certified Swine Sample Collector Training Program, the Swine Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) would probably be four of the main programs that producers could consider participating in to better prepare them and help them should a foreign animal disease be detected in the U.S.

Then the last thing would be to protect your farm through biosecurity.You are the only person that can protect your own farm at that level.

Dr. Forseth says being aware of areas where you may want to consider improving your biosecurity is probably going to be one of the most useful and helpful things you can do.