African Swine Fever Week is here; USDA is focusing on prevention and preparedness
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) remains committed to preventing African swine fever (ASF) from reaching the United States.
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease, which is harmless to humans but up to 100% fatal to pigs. The disease has already caused significant losses in swine populations across Asia, Europe, and elsewhere.
With ASF Action Week (March 1-7) on the horizon, APHIS continues to focus on keeping animals healthy and prioritize efforts to prevent this deadly disease from reaching the U.S. swine herd. ASF poses a multifaceted threat to the United States, with potentially far-reaching impacts for farmers, producers, the pork industry, and the broader U.S. economy. As we also recognize National Pig Day on March 1, a moment that highlights the importance of pigs to agriculture, science and society, it serves as a timely reminder of why strong vigilance and continued awareness around ASF are so essential.
APHIS is focused on a proactive approach to keep the country’s pigs safe. The U.S. has a robust system of existing safeguards in place to protect against foreign animal diseases; however, APHIS continually seeks additional ways to enhance these protections.
It is undeniable that the economic repercussions of ASF would be far-reaching in the U.S. because pork is a staple in many American diets, appearing in everything from breakfast sausages to holiday hams. ASF would cause pork to become scarcer and more expensive, and consumers might turn to alternative protein sources, further disrupting food markets and potentially leading to increased prices as demand for those sources increased.
Below are a few ways APHIS has enhanced safety to protect the country from ASF:
APHIS needs support from federal, state, industry partners, and the public to prevent the spread of ASF in the U.S. Here are four simple ways everyone can help:
The time to act is now, for the sake of our farms, our economy, and the well-being of all Americans. Together, we can work to keep ASF out of the U.S. and protect our pigs and food supply for generations to come. Take the first step and visit Protect Our Pigs to learn more about African swine fever.
