Poland waives some biosecurity requirements for backyard pig farms - GAIN
Commercial farmers, veterinarians criticise the new provisions
24 May 2023
2 minute read
By: According to a recent US Department of Agriculture GAIN report, a regulation of Poland's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development entered into force on May 10, 2023. The regulation reduced biosecurity requirements for raising pigs kept for the production of meat for own use.
Representatives of commercial farms, as well as veterinarians, have criticised the new provisions due to fears of increased risk of African swine fever spread by small farmers, undermining the work of the past nine years to control the disease and minimise negative trade impacts.
According to the new regulation, farms that keep pigs solely for the production of meat for their own use will no longer require farmers to compile an inventory of their pigs by different production groups, nor to update the inventory on an ongoing basis.
The obligation to keep a register of the means of transport entering the farm to transport pigs, feed or animal by-products, and a register of the entry of persons into the premises where pigs are kept, has also been waived.
Furthermore, there will be no need to comply with the obligation to limit pig handling activities only to persons employed on a given farm, and the obligation to apply the hygiene measures before handling pigs has been waived.
Backyard pig farmers are no longer required to prevent outsiders from entering buildings where pigs are kept, and the monitoring and control of rodents is no longer mandatory.
Additionally, in the case of farms located in areas subject to restrictions connected with the occurrence of African swine fever (ASF) and keeping pigs solely for the production of meat for personal use, there is no obligation to lay disinfection mats in front of entrances and exits to the farms.
