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Pork groups prioritizing foreign animal disease prevention in 2023

Groups representing the pork sector are continuing to prioritize foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness in 2023.

National Pork Board CEO Bill Even says late last year they sent a group of producers, veterinarians and USDA officials to Europe to learn first-hand how African Swine Fever is impacting other countries.  

“It was designed to learn how officials, farmers, veterinarians and pork production companies in Belgium, Germany, Poland, Denmark and Romania are dealing with ASF in their countries. In some cases like Romania, it is endemic in the country and they have some real problems.”

Tyler Bettin with the National Pork Producers Council says funding for prevention and education needs to be prioritized in the 2023 Farm Bill.

“We have had tremendous results with expansion and creation of the counter measures vaccine bank. There are a lot of success stories to tell on how we have educated elected leaders on the risk that foreign animal diseases pose, not only to our farmers, but also consumers.”

Bettin says while there has been great progress in this area in recent years, there is still opportunity to grow funding and further protect US farms.  

Brownfield interviewed Even and Bettin at the 2023 Illinois Pork Expo.