With the discovery this summer of African swine fever (ASF) in the western hemisphere (1st since 1984), ASF is a real and present threat to the U.S. swine industry.  ASF is not a human health issue, but can be devastating to agriculture.  In July, the USDA Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory confirmed African swine fever in samples collected from pigs in the Dominican Republic. Sample collection is part of a cooperative surveillance program.  In relation to the U.S., the entry of live pigs and pork products from the Dominican Republic was already prohibited as a result of existing classical swine fever restrictions.

USDA, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and many in the swine industry are working proactively to keep the disease out of the continental U.S. and preparing mitigation plans if the disease is present.  

The USDA and IDALS have excellent resources that pork producers should use to prepare a farm biosecurity plan and to gain knowledge on the state and national preparations and precautions that are being done for ASF.

Recorded webinars:

African Swine Fever (ASF) Action Week Webinars at this link: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/swine-disease-information/african-swine-fever/seminar/asf-action-week 

IDALS webinars: https://iowaagriculture.gov/foreign-animal-disease-webinars    Week 10 & 11 deal specifically with ASF.   Week 11's recording should be available soon.

More information:

Biosecurity for Animals and Animal Facilities (IDALS)

Animal Disease Response (IDALS)

National Pork Producers Association information on ASF