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Hagan applauds USDA for moving forward with vaccine to combat virus devastating NC pork producers
Story Date: 6/20/2014
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Source: PRESS RELEASE, 6/19/14
U.S. Senator Kay Hagan (NC) today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for authorizing the use of a new vaccine to help control the spread of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), which has killed millions of pigs across the country and is devastating pork producers in North Carolina. USDA announced this week a conditional license for a vaccine to protect piglets against PEDv. The announcement comes after Senator Hagan and Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (MI) urged USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack in March to dedicate funding to help develop a vaccine.
“I am pleased that the USDA is moving forward with a vaccine to help stop the spread of PEDv and provide relief to North Carolina producers who continue to suffer losses,” said Senator Hagan. “With a near 100 percent mortality rate for piglets under two weeks old, PEDv poses a serious threat to our state’s pork industry and our agriculture economy, and I applaud the USDA for enabling the use of this vaccine. I will continue fighting to address this deadly virus and provide support to affected producers.”
In addition to the March letter to Secretary Vilsack, Senator Hagan led a group of six Senators in April in sending a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee leaders requesting funding to address the PEDv outbreak, including resources to support the development of a vaccine and initiate comprehensive monitoring and surveillance efforts. A copy of the letter is available here. The FY2015 Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill that the Senate is considering this week includes an extra $2 million to help address PEDv.
The unmitigated spread of PEDv poses a serious threat to the agriculture economy in North Carolina, which currently ranks second in the country in total pork production, accounting for nearly 14 percent of total U.S. pork production. In 2012, the pork industry supported more than 24,620 North Carolina jobs and contributed $1.46 billion to the state’s economy.
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