Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 7/8/19


Canada and the European Union have agreed to an African swine fever (ASF) zoning plan to allow for safe trade of pork products to continue from disease-free zones in the event of an outbreak.

The arrangement is part of Canada’s preparations to protect the country’s pigs and the economy in light of the pace at which ASF is spreading through parts of Asia and Europe, Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau said in a statement.

Zoning is an internationally recognized tool used to help manage diseases and facilitate international trade. If a case of ASF is confirmed in an area, geographic boundaries established in accordance with World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) principles are defined to contain the outbreak. The areas outside of the boundaries are disease-free zones.

Pork is Canada’s fourth-largest agricultural sector, contributing about $24 billion to the Canadian economy annually.

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