Source: John R. Clifford, THE HILL, 4/20/20

Editor's Note: Dr. John R. Clifford, DVM is the former Chief Veterinary Officer of the United States and a former chief trade advisor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

As the world continues to grapple with the spread of the coronavirus, it is clear that outbreaks of new infectious diseases are not one-off incidents. In recent years, African Swine Fever (ASF) and Avian Influenza wreaked havoc on the food industry — this, on top of increasing pressures on the food supply chain our interconnected world is facing as the global population continues to grow. If nothing else, the current coronavirus crisis only magnifies the critical importance of a safe food supply chain and its impact on food security and public health. 

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