African swine fever prevention “has been an all hands on effort.” However, it has become an increasingly difficult task amid a global health pandemic.
National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) staff work closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, “the first line of defense.”
“They are the people with the beagle brigades, inspecting international travelers, as well as international cargo. They are funded through user fees that are in place on international tickets for airline travels and maritime cargo,” says Dr. Liz Wagstrom, NPPC chief veterinarian.
Limited travel has greatly reduced incoming user fees, impacting U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s ability to secure our border from foreign animal diseases, like African swine fever.
“Since the pandemic, international airport travelers have been down about 98-percent, and (there has) also (been) a double-digit decrease in maritime cargo traffic. We are to the end of funding for those employees,” Dr. Wagstrom says.
U.S. Department of Agriculture officials were able to divert money to support Customs and Border Protection agents, according to Dr. Wagstrom. However, the financial situation has become dire.
“We are in a high priority situation where NPPC is working hard – in either the next COVID package or continuing resolution, or omnibus funding bill – to get funding for them,” Dr. Wagstrom says. “It’s a significant amount of money. We need about 630-million-dollars, otherwise these highly trained, highly effective employees need to be furloughed or have a reduction in force.
