An African swine fever outbreak was confirmed this week in Haiti by the World Organization for Animal Health.
Reports say 234 cases of ASF were found among a herd of 2,500 pigs in Haiti. It?s the first time ASF has been reported in Haiti in 37 years. Officials with the USDA?s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the discovery of ASF in Haiti is unfortunate, but not unexpected. In July, ASF was confirmed in neighboring Dominican Republic.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig reminds producers that ASF is a viral disease that affects commercial, backyard, show and wild pig populations.
?It?s really important to stress that ASF, while it?s a very real threat to the pork industry and it?s devastating to that industry, it?s not a human health issue and it?s certainly not a food safety issue,? said Naig. ?We want to make sure folks know that it would be very devastating to our pork producers and the pork industry.?
Naig explains this year?s detections of ASF in the Dominican Republic and now Haiti is very concerning and should serve as a wake-up call for all US farmers.
?Typically, when a country has it confirmed in their borders, then export markets shut down,? said Naig. ?When you think about the fact the U.S. pork industry exports roughly 30% of the pork we produce, and you would immediately shut down that export market, that would have a devastating impact on not just the pork industry from an economic standpoint, but all of the supporting cast and characters as well like the feed suppliers and everybody who touches the pork industry in our rural communities.?
Last week, the USDA issued a Federal Order suspending interstate movement of all live swine and swine products from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to the mainland United States.
