(file photo/CKOM Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

African Swine Fever

Industry discusses strategies to stop pig virus

May 16, 2019 | 5:00 PM

Canada is ready to go to battle to prevent African Swine Fever (ASF) from entering the country.

The House of Commons agriculture committee met this morning to discuss ASF and strategies to keep it out of North America.

The virus is harmless to humans but deadly to pigs. There is no cure or vaccine.

ASF originated in Africa with outbreaks being reported in Eastern Europe and Russia before it first appeared in China last August. It has since spread to Vietnam and Cambodia.

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The virus has decimated China’s pork industry. Its pig population could shrink by one third this year. That’s roughly 200 million animals.

“Canada can prevent and prepare for ASF. Armed with additional resources we will protect the sector, ensure it continually will provide Canadians with a readily available source of high quality protein and remain an important contributor to the Canadian economy,” Rene Roy, the vice president of the Canadian Pork Council, said.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency Vice President Colleen Barnes outlined the efforts to prevent ASF from entering. She said they are working with domestic and international partners to create an action.

“ASF knows no boundaries,” Barnes said. “It cannot be solved by any one country or any one stakeholder. What I know for sure is we have to work together, industry and all levels of government, to make sure we keep ASF out of this country.”

Barnes said there is a need to work globally. Earlier this month an international forum was held in Ottawa organized by Dr. Jaspinder Komal and co-hosted by Canada and the United States.

“Over the course of two days we worked with colleagues from around the globe to address the risks of ASF,” Barnes said.

Canada Border Services (CBS) said stopping the spread of ASF starts at airports.

CBS Director General Fred Gaspar shared statistics on the amount of pork that is being seized at Canadian airports in 2018. Detector dog service teams were responsible for over 5,000 searches which resulted in 7,000 interceptions of prohibited food, plant and animal products.

“This resulted in 400 agricultural monetary penalties. We estimate that 25 to 30 per cent of all of those food, plant and animal seizures relate to pork products,” Gasper said.

The Canadian Pork sector contributes more than 100,000 jobs and generates close to $24 billion to the country’s economy.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: AliceMcF