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The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and their counterpart, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have developed a protocol to facilitate trade in the event of an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in feral hogs in either nation.

Dr. Burke Healey, Chief Veterinarian of the USDA, stated “continuing trade with Canada in the event of a feral ASF detection is important to our stakeholders and this trade protocol provides  necessary guidance to minimize the impact to the swine industry.”  He added, “This collaborative effort uses a science-based approach to ensure trade between both countries resumes as quickly as possible in the event of an outbreak.”  Contingency plans have been made to establish control areas, initiate surveillance and to removal of feral hogs together with surveillance of commercial herds.

It is noted that China imposed a blanket embargo on imports of pork from Germany as a result of cases of ASF in wild boars that had moved westward from Poland, notwithstanding the fact that no commercial herds were affected. The action by China is inconsistent with rules of the OIE since ASF is endemic in that nation.

CHICK-NEWS strongly supports calls for a concerted campaign to eradicate feral hogs from the U.S. using all available resources given their proven role as reservoirs and disseminators of ASF in Africa, Asia and Europe.