USDA hosts fourth African Swine Fever Action Week
USDA is working to raise awareness of ASF
30 October 2024
2 minute read
By: The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is hosting its fourth African Swine Fever (ASF) Action Week this week (October 28-November 1, 2024), according to a government-issued press release.
USDA is encouraging US swine producers, small farms and owners of all types of pigs to join us to learn about ASF and what they can do to help protect the US swine herd.
ASF has never been detected in the United States. However, since the 2021 detections in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the closest to the United States in decades, USDA has partnered with industry and states to enhance already strong safeguards to protect US swine from this costly disease.
"While this disease poses no threat to human health, nor is it a food safety concern, if ASF gets into the United States, it would be catastrophic at many levels," said Rosemary Sifford, the United States’ Chief Veterinary Officer. "It has the potential to kill millions of pigs, resulting in an estimated $75 billion in economic losses over 10 years. This would inevitably lead to higher grocery prices for consumers and could severely disrupt our trade relationships with other countries."
Through the Protect Our Pigs campaign, USDA is raising awareness of ASF to help producers and veterinarians quickly find and share actionable information to defend their herds and livelihoods. Free resources, such as custom videos, downloadable materials, and interactive training guides are available at the Protect Our Pigs website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-disease/swine/protect-pigs/spread-the-word.
