National Pork Board Collaborates with Canadian Officials on FAD Preparedness

NPB's chief veterinarian shared U.S. pork’s strategies to prevent the spread of foreign animal diseases (FADs) with Canadian officials last month.

An FAD outbreak in North America, such as African swine fever (ASF), could stop the movement of animals and animal products across international borders.

At the Pacific Northwest Economic Region Summit in Alberta, Dr. Dustin Oedekoven said U.S. pork producers are proactively developing and adopting tools to help identify and mitigate the spread of an FAD outbreak quickly.

This collaboration between the U.S. and Canada is a continuing effort that began in 2021 when USDA APHIS and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency developed a protocol to continue bilateral trade in case of an ASF detection in feral swine in either country.

The plan was developed to protect domestic herds in both countries and minimize impacts on the trade of live swine, products and other commodities.