Belgian Meat Office: African Swine Fever: How Belgium Successfully Keeps Its Pork Virus-Free

BRUSSELS, July 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On 13 September 2018, the African swine fever (ASF) virus was confirmed in two wild boars in the Belgian municipality Etalle -- in a region where only very few domestic pigs are kept. The FASFC (Belgium'sFederal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain) demarcated an "infected zone", in consultation with the European Commission and ministers. To avoid contamination, the few domestic pigs in this zone were preventively eradicated between 27 September and 3 October 2018. The products of these pigs did not enter the food chain and was not used in the feed industry.

BRUSSELS, July 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On 13 September 2018, the African swine fever (ASF) virus was confirmed in two wild boars in the Belgian municipality Etalle -- in a region where only very few domestic pigs are kept. The FASFC (Belgium'sFederal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain) demarcated an "infected zone", in consultation with the European Commission and ministers. To avoid contamination, the few domestic pigs in this zone were preventively eradicated between 27 September and 3 October 2018. The products of these pigs did not enter the food chain and was not used in the feed industry.

Swine fever prevention and surveillance in Belgium

Collaboration With Neighboring Countries

The infected zone is close to Belgium's neighboring countries France, Germany and The Netherlands. In order to prevent the disease to spread, the four countries joined forces through:

Result: No Outbreaks In Domestic Swine

On 17 February 2019 Belgian authorities announced the following results:

Ongoing Efforts

Even up to today, all stakeholders (farmers, veterinarians, authorities) stay alert to insure biosecurity.

In pig holdings:

For wild boars:

Conclusion: "Total Transparency Is Essential"

Jean-François Heymans, Chief Veterinary Officer of the FASFC, concludes: "Belgium has initiated a closer collaboration with the neighboring countries such as daily communication about the situation and technical meetings between wildlife experts of different countries. In addition to the broad, national collaboration, we believe that a total transparency towards our neighboring countries, other EU Member States and Non-EU Members States is essential for the management of ASF in Belgium, Europe and worldwide and to ensure the necessary trust between Belgium and its commercial and other partners. Therefore, the FASFC continues to inform about the situation and the measures taken trough different platforms of communication."

About Belgian Meat Office
Belgian Meat Office coordinates pork and beef export activities. The meat export agency was founded in 2003 under the Flemish Centre for Agricultural and Fisheries Marketing (VLAM) umbrella.

More Info
www.europeanpork.eu

Press Contact
Joris Coenen,
Marketing & Communication Officer Belgian Meat Office
+32-476-945-486

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