USDA Statement on Confirmation of African Swine Fever in the Dominican Republic

Aug 02, 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory has confirmed African swine fever (ASF) in samples collected from pigs in the Dominican Republic through an existing cooperative surveillance program.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has numerous interlocking safeguards in place to prevent ASF from entering the United States. Pork and pork products from the Dominican Republic are currently prohibited entry as a result of existing classical swine fever restrictions. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is increasing inspections of flights from the Dominican Republic to ensure travelers do not bring prohibited products to the United States. CBP will also be ensuring that garbage from these airplanes are properly disposed of to prevent the transmission of ASF.

USDA is committed to assisting the Dominican Republic in dealing with ASF, is offering continued testing support, and will consult with them on additional steps or actions to support response and mitigation measures. We will also offer similar help to Haiti, which borders the Dominican Republic and is at high risk for ASF detections.

The USDA continues to work diligently with partners including CBP and the U.S. swine industry to prevent ASF from entering the United States. ASF is not a threat to human health, cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans and it is not a food safety issue.

Source : usda.gov

Video: How Swine Nutrition Can Revolutionize Biogas Production - Dr. Felipe Hickmann

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Felipe Hickmann from Laval University explores how nutritional strategies and manure management impact biogas production in pig farming. He breaks down the science behind anaerobic digestion at low temperatures and explains how dietary adjustments affect methane production and environmental sustainability. Learn how producers can reduce emissions and improve resource efficiency. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Lowering crude protein can reduce nitrogen in manure, but only if animal intake doesn’t compensate by increasing feed consumption."

Meet the guest: Dr. Felipe Hickmann / felipe-hickmann-963853a6 is a PhD research assistant at Laval University, specializing in swine and poultry sustainability. With extensive experience in manure management, nutritional strategies, and precision livestock technologies, he contributes to improving environmental outcomes in animal agriculture.