Currently, there are industry wide concerns over African swine fever virus (ASFV) entry from a variety of different sources, including imported ingredients from ASFV positive countries. Data detailing the volume and port of origin of non-animal origin ingredients were collected and analyzed. Interviews were also conducted with ASFV negative countries, such as Canada and Australia, comparing their ASFV-specific import regulations to the current standard operating procedures in the U.S. for all imported ingredients. Overall, the U.S. imports a relatively low percentage of non-animal origin feed ingredients from ASFV positive countries. It is likely that only a small proportion of the ingredients imported from ASFV-positive countries is then included in a commercial swine diet, further reducing the risk of ASFV entry via imported ingredients. Canada and Australia both enacted regulations on imported ingredients originating from foreign animal disease positive countries which includes extended holding times at the port of entry or thermal processing of the feed or ingredients. However, the overall cost of these processes and the ability to implement them on a larger scale in the U.S. remains largely unknown. Future implementation of protocols will be driven by industry demand and could include determining a holding time for imported ingredients of concern, increasing the volume of thermally processed diets, or including chemical mitigation.
Cassandra Jones; email: [email protected].
