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USDA adds to ASF surveillance

The USDA is ramping up its African Swine Fever preparedness efforts by implementing a heightened surveillance plan.  The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will work with the swine industry, states, and the veterinary diagnostics laboratories to test for the disease. 

To make the surveillance testing for ASF effective and efficient, the USDA says it will add it to the current classical swine fever surveillance protocol.  Which includes testing samples from high-risk animals, sick or dead pigs at slaughter, and pigs from herd that are at a greater risk for disease through factors as exposure to feral swine or garbage feeding.

USDA Undersecretary Greg Ibach says the surveillance testing is in addition to the USDA’s other increased prevention efforts.  “We’re going to increase the number of dogs we’re training this year,” he says.  “Go from 120 dogs at ports of entry that are used as part of our surveillance team.  So we’re up near 180 dogs.”

He says they’ve also reevaluated restrictions on products arriving from China and other ASF affected countries.  “Within some of the countries we’ve recognized regionalization,” he says.  “Just like we would want countries to recognize us for regionalization if have African Swine Fever.”

African Swine Fever is a highly contagious and deadly disease that affects both domestic and feral pigs, but does not affect human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans.