USDA preparations in case of U.S. ASF outbreak

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USDA preparations in case of U.S. ASF outbreak

The USDA is putting together documentation showing trading partners mitigation efforts if African Swine Fever reaches the U.S.

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Dr. Rosemary Sifford said if ASF enters the U.S., there would likely be a 72-hour movement standstill for pigs and semen.

“That would give us the opportunity to really evaluate where exactly we have an issue, what exactly the extent of that issue is, so that we could look for signs of disease and get the control measures in place quickly,” she said.

Sifford said any pigs already in transit would be allowed to reach their destinations.

She said if ASF is found in any U.S. provinces, like Puerto Rico, the U.S. would be considered infected.

“We would quickly work with our trading partners to try to regionalize the U.S. mainland so that there are mitigations in place that would prevent the virus from being able to spread from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland,” Sifford said.

She said further restrictions would likely be placed in states where the disease was found, and APHIS would work directly with state animal health officials.

Sifford spoke on a Pork Checkoff webinar Tuesday.

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