African Swine Fever

African Swine Fever

Maura Bennett
Maura Bennett
In an effort to increase public awareness and cooperation in keeping African Swine Fever out of the U.S., the USDA is providing more information about this disease.

Joyce Kelly, Colorado Pork Producers Council Executive Director has told Colorado Ag Today state producers grow some of the safest and best pork products in the world with both small boutique and large scale producers.

But federal officials are concerned Swine Fever is a growing threat.

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is featured in a new video posted by the USDA. The video was released along with a new African Swine Fever webpage.

"In 2017 pork producers marketed over 120-million hogs valued at over 20-million dollars. They provided about 25 billion pounds of meat to consumers world wide. Additionally the US pork industry supports about half a million jobs in the United States, the majority of those in rural areas. We know what's at stake and we are determined to keep African Swine Fever out of the United States."

The US has begun restricting imports of pork and pork products from affected countries; expanding the testing capabilities and testing capacity of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. And it is coordinating on response plans with the U.S. pork industry, producers and States to be ready should a detection occur in the United States.

Find the agency's webpage on the threat by searching "usda African Swine Fever."

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