The introduction of African swine fever into Canada would put over 100,000 jobs in jeopardy and could cost the Canadian economy 24 billion dollars. In an interview with Farmscape.Ca, George Matheson, the Chair of Manitoba Pork, says ASF is considered a foreign animal disease so, if Canada found a single case, its borders would close to all nations.

Matheson explains that the routes of entry into Canada are the biggest concern for preventing the introduction of the disease:

"It can travel in many different ways. Probably our two primary concerns would be with regards to illegally imported meat and feed products which could, we're thinking, primarily come from the Pacific, more specifically China.

"CFIA, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with the Department of Agriculture in regards to the Federal Government of Canada are making producers aware of how it can be transported.

"In terms of feed quarantine, the rule of thumb is holding the feed for 20 days at 20 degrees or 100 days at 10 degrees, which ever is more convenient before being used so that the virus can die off.

"I believe the federal government has also invested 36 million dollars in sniffer dogs at the west coast port of Vancouver primarily to detect illegally imported meat in luggage coming home from China."

For more information on the ASF forum, Matheson encourages those interested to contact Manitoba Pork directly.