United States Canada Protocol Sets Conditions for Resumed Swine Trade in Event of ASF Outbreak in Feral Swine

A recently finalized a protocol will help ensure the cross-border movement of domestic swine between the U.S. and Canada will resume quickly in the event African Swine Fever is detected in feral swine in either country. Feral swine were the focus of the fifth in a series of five African Swine Fever Action Week webinars hosted earlier this month by USDA-APHIS.

Dr. Jack Shere, the Associate Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, explains feral swine are comprised of escaped or released domestic swine, Eurasian wild boar and their hybrids.

Clip-Dr. Jack Shere-USDA-APHIS:

We estimate that there are least six million feral swine roaming within the United States with most dense populations primarily being in the south and southeast. These highly invasive species cause ample damage to agriculture, natural resources and private property.

Additionally feral swine are capable of becoming infected with and transmitting a number of pathogens that are of concern for humans, domestic livestock, companion animals and wildlife. Most significantly, feral swine are also susceptible to ASF, which is one of the most devastating diseases of domestic swine.

An ASF virus incursion will likely result in an immediate movement standstill and bring international trade to a halt, irrespective of feral or domestic swine in the outbreak. We did recently finalize a protocol with Canada to help ensure bilateral trade would continue if ASF is detected in feral swine in either country while still absent from domestic swine. Initially all swine trade with Canada would stop and then resume in progressive phases.