Pork Board Collaborates with Homeland Security Against African Swine Fever

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the National Pork Board entered into a collaborative agreement to assess potential methods to disinfect and decontaminate surfaces from African swine fever virus. As a proactive measure to address the spread of ASF virus occurring now in other parts of the world, scientists at S&T's Plum Island Animal Disease Center will evaluate commercial disinfectants and methods to decontaminate porous and non-porous surfaces typically associated with swine production facilities. [Source: National Hog Farmer 13 Nov 2019]

The research will be conducted through a funded cooperative research and development agreement between S&T PIADC and the NPB, a program funded by pork producers and sponsored by the USDA.

The funded cooperative research and development agreement with the NPB allows the DHS to leverage an important cooperative partnership to execute its mission effectively. ASF is a high threat transboundary animal disease that is often fatal if contracted by pigs but poses no threat to human health. Domestic pigs, feral pigs, pork products and animal feed can spread the disease, and today ASF poses the greatest threat to America's swine industry, which is currently free of the disease. The United States is the largest pork exporter in the world, and domestically more than 115 million hogs valued at $24 billion go to market yearly.