As Americans, we tend to feel insulated from problems that might seem a world away. That was true of COVID-19, when it was spreading throughout China. And it was likely true, at least to a certain extent, of African Swine Fever.

Though we may have once had the relative comfort of watching ASF spread throughout China and nearby Asian nations, we no longer have that luxury. With ASF now in the Caribbean, its first visit in the Western Hemisphere in some 40 years, the pig-killing disease is effectively knocking on our door.

And, as I was reminded on a call recently with officials representing USDA, the state of Iowa, National Pork Board, North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and Tyson Foods officials, all roads lead to the slaughterhouse. In other words, while we tend to think of ASF as a live-side issue, pork packers are going to have a critical role in managing the disease should an outbreak occur here. And if an outbreak occurs here, the industry is looking at an economic calamity due to lost animals and export markets.

As noted by KatieRose McCullough, director of scientific and regulatory affairs for NAMI, the volumes of hogs coming into major pork plants make it critical that operators hone their capabilities in identifying affected pigs and sanitizing their facilities to prevent potential cross-contamination from area to area, as well as keeping track of employee contact with animals.

She and other parties on that call had just run through a simulation, using Tyson Foods’ Perry, Iowa, plant as it practice facility, to walk through different scenarios packers may experience and help shore up gaps in their biosecurity plans and firm up the collective response.

“We can’t predict everything that will happen for animal disease outbreak, but the more we can look ahead and lay the foundation blocks,” the better prepared the industry will be to prevent or help contain an outbreak, said Jeff Kaisand, Iowa’s state veterinarian.

Should an outbreak occur, as noted by Barb Masters, vice president of regulatory policy, food and agriculture for Tyson, Dr. Kaisand will need information on animal movement in and out of a packing plant. Use of AgView, a web-based tool developed by the Pork Board to allow quick electronic and visual sharing of such data, will be critical in communication efforts, she and others said.

Patrick Webb, the Pork Board’s director of swine health programs, said of the simulation, “It was really beneficial to use AgView with Tyson to be able to visualize that type of information and know that it can be moved over to the [Iowa Department of Agriculture] in order to have information for the best decision-making related to packing plant” movement of pigs.

Masters of Tyson said another one of the most important takeaways from the exercise was the importance of partnering with state and federal agencies in advance of an outbreak. She encouraged packers to invite public health officials in to help them prepare.

Masters said, “We will continue to do exercises and planning to make sure we’re ready, and learning materials we use will be made available” through USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is using the recent exercise to add to its continuing national training and exercise programming. She also noted that these NAMI resources have been helpful in formulating a plan.

Citing an African proverb, Masters said, “The best preparation for tomorrow is to make sure today’s work is superbly done.”

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