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In August 2018, when African swine fever was diagnosed in China, the North American swine industry immediately began actively monitoring the situation and took measures to control the outbreak. The first African Swine Fever Forum in North America took place in Ottawa, Canada, in 2019, and the fourth Forum returned to Ottawa in September 2024. Among many participants from America, Dr. Megan Niederwerder, leading the Swine Health Information Center, delivered a speech with a spotlight on communication.

Representatives from government agencies, industry leaders, international experts on African swine fever, animal health organizations, state and provincial chief veterinary officers, and other stakeholders attended the Forum. The collective focus of the meeting was on protecting North American swine producers from past foreign animal disease outbreaks, developing prevention tools, risk reduction strategies, and creating collaborative agreements for business continuity and trade.

Forum organizers noted that despite global efforts and advancements in knowledge, African swine fever continues to spread worldwide, negatively impacting economies and pig production in affected regions. “Since January 2022, 10 countries have reported African swine fever for the first time, while 14 countries have reported its spread to new regions. The disease has re-emerged in regions managed effectively,” they stated. They also highlighted that the lack of treatments and commercial vaccines for African swine fever necessitates stakeholders to be cautious in taking preventive measures, being prepared, and responding to this threat.

At the Fourth African Swine Fever Forum, past successes were explored, current experiences were shared, and ongoing challenges in controlling African swine fever were identified. Throughout various sessions, participants addressed key topics such as business continuity programs, management and surveillance of wild pigs, effective stakeholder communication needs, and the development and use of vaccines as a control tool for African swine fever. A collaborative roadmap for the ongoing management of the African swine fever threat and renewed partnerships for continued coordination and cooperation were established.

Key presentations from Germany, Denmark, the EU, the Dominican Republic, and Italy focused on the current status and management of African swine fever in their respective countries. The importance and development of regionalization and zoning agreements to respond to ASF was another major topic for discussion and collaboration. The role and necessity of communication to inform stakeholder awareness were also discussed by Forum participants. Dr. Niederwerder provided examples of American stakeholder communication channels regarding African swine fever, noting that the SHIC Global Disease Monitoring Report, published monthly, is an accessible resource for information on new ASF outbreaks and entry risks. She emphasized the need for rapid and accurate information sharing with producers about ASF and emerging disease events. Forum participants engaged in a collective discussion on the role and necessity of robust communication strategies to support small-scale pig production in each country.

Although the Forum’s aim is to prevent the entry of African swine fever into America and mitigate its impacts, the collaborative efforts of international participant stakeholders represent a significant investment of time, resources, and commitment for the North American swine industry and all related organizations.

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Source: Tarım Haberleri