APHIS Announces ASF Containment Zone For Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has announced a Federal Order suspending the movement of all live swine and associated products from two U.S. territories to the continental U.S.  The move isolates Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands when it comes to swine, as the two Caribbean bodies are closest to the Dominican Republic, which has confirmed cases of African Swine Fever.

The action comes amid a weeklong webinar series hosted by USDA focusing on prevention, preparation and response.  During one of the webinars, Doctor Pam Zaabel, director of swine health for the National Pork Board, urged producers to implement and train specific biosecurity protocols.

Zaabel says she hopes producers can find ways to implement biosecurity protocols without the process becoming too daunting by adapting and writing plans specific to their operation in phases.

The past week’s webinar dealing with USDA’s response to a potential outbreak of African Swine Fever can be found on the USDA APHIS website.