Animal health officials are closely monitoring emerging disease threats to livestock, with a focus on both the persistent challenge of African swine fever (ASF) and the potential risks posed by the spread of bird flu and other diseases.

Recent detections of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Europe and continued concerns about Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia highlight the need for ongoing vigilance and preparedness within the agricultural sector.

“The current status (of ASF) is it continues to move and continues to pop up,” said Anna Forseth, director of animal health for the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). She said that despite efforts to control the virus overseas, it continues to spread.

Forseth specifically pointed to outbreaks in the Dominican Republic...