Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 3/18/19



U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists seized about 1 million pounds of illegal products containing pork from China over concerns the products might carry African Swine Fever disease, a CBP spokesman confirmed to Meatingplace.

CBP Public Affairs Specialist Anthony Bucci also confirmed the pork came into the country in more than 50 shipping containers of various products including ramen noodles and laundry detergent over the past few weeks to the port in Newark, N.J.
CBP officials were quoted from a news briefing on Friday as saying in some cases, the packaging matched the product on the manifest, but the contents were prohibited pork. In other instances, the pork was simply packaged among other good.

The disease does not affect humans, but is deadly to hogs, which has the U.S. pork industry nervous and both the U.S. and Canadian governments stepping up precautions to ensure domestic herds are not infected.

Earlier this month, USDA announced a number of steps it was taking, including bulking up border patrol at U.S. commercial ports, seaports and airports.

Last week, Canadian Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau announced new funding of up to C$31 million to increase the number of detector dogs at Canadian airports to help prevent illegally imported meat products from entering into Canada.

Canada also announced plans to host the first international ASF forum in Ottawa from April 30 to May 1, 2019, in collaboration with the United States and supported by leaders from Mexico, the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Organization for Animal Health, provincial, territorial and state partners, and the pork industry.  

China has been battling the disease since last fall, which has so far spread to at least 28 provinces and forced the world’s largest pork producing country to increase its pork imports.

Last week, China reportedly made its largest purchase of U.S. pork in two years, despite its own hefty import tariffs.
In February, Vietnam reported its first case of ASF. Taiwanese officials reported security at Tainan Airport in Taiwan detected ASF-tainted pork in a sandwich confiscated on Feb. 5 from a traveler from Vietnam.

The National Pork Producers Council issued a statement, saying, "We are thankful to CBP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture for their increased vigilance and the expanded resources they have put in place to prevent ASF's spread to the United States, a development that would threaten animal health and immediately close our export markets at a time when we are already facing serious trade headwinds. Illegal import/export activities like this can't stand and must be met with swift and severe penalties to discourage others from attempting to transport contraband products across our borders. Prevention of ASF is our only defense; we must remain on high alert at our airports and sea ports to prevent the illegal entry of meat products and be diligent in our farm biosecurity protocols. We are hopeful that others considering illegal import/export activity like this will take note of the severe consequences."

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