African swine fever is a deadly pig disease that spreads rapidly and affects domestic and wild swine. While not a threat to human health, the virus could devastate America’s swine, pork industry, and food supply. Whatever pigs mean to you—your livelihood or a pet—we’re all in it together. Protect our swine and keep the disease out of the United States.

African swine fever is a deadly pig disease that spreads fast. People can’t get it, but if even a single case came to the U.S., it could devastate America’s pig population and pork industry. The USDA has created this training video to help pork producers understand the signs of African swine fever and learn about the biosecurity and control measures you can take to keep your farm and facility safe. 

Dr. Jack Shere, APHIS Associate Administrator, moderates a virtual panel event with key swine health experts to discuss African swine fever and the steps producers, pig owners, and veterinarians can take to protect pigs.

Iowa State University Extension Veterinarian Dr. Chris Rademacher gives an overview of the current status of African Swine Fever and what U.S. producers need to be aware of.

The disease situation updates are produced by the FAO Emergency Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH) as part of its mission to increase global disease intelligence.

APHIS is working with Federal and State government agencies, the swine industry, and producers to keep African swine fever out of the United States.

Detailed technical information on ASF identification, transmission, and control.

African swine fever virus (ASF) is a serious, highly resistant, viral disease. ASF cannot be transmitted to humans, so it is not a public health or food safety concern. Learn how the Secure Pork Supply plan can help protect your herd.

The science on viral transmission through feed and feedstuffs is still evolving, but research has demonstrated the ability for certain feed ingredients to support viral survival under laboratory conditions modeled after either trans- Atlantic or trans-Pacific shipping to U.S. locations likely to manufacture feed for swine. 

Dr. Cassandra Jones from Kansas State University presents the latest findings related to feed mill biosecurity. Dr. Jones shares results on how long PEDV can be maintained within a feed mill, pathogen surveillance in feed mills, and feed mitigation strategies for both foreign and domestic pathogens.

Research has demonstrated the ability for certain feed ingredients to support viral survival during conditions modeled after either trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific shipping to U.S. ports and on to locations likely to manufacture feed for swine. This has increased interest in assuring feed ingredient safety from viruses.

Risk of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus in feed and mitigation strategies - Dr. Scott Dee, from the 2018 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference, September 15-18, 2018, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.

Infection control and disease prevention between animals or to people requires awareness of how exposure happens, biosecurity steps to stop spread, using disinfectants appropriately, and communicating through signs ways to protect themselves.

Holding a swine weigh-in at a single location can create biosecurity challenges similar to a buying station. All exhibitors’ pigs coming from different growing sites may have different health statuses or disease history. 

The exhibitor, parent, swine producer, employees of a swine unit or any individual who attends a fair must take responsibility to not transfer any disease(s) from the fair to a swine production site. This becomes an educational opportunity to highlight the importance of a farm’s biosecurity plan. While a county fair can attempt to minimize the entry of sick pigs, it cannot eliminate the potential of a swine disease entering the fairgrounds.

This document is to provide awareness and encourage action planning prior to your county fair. The county fair is a gathering or collection point of pigs, similar to a buying station. All exhibitors’ pigs coming from different growing sites may have different health statuses or disease history. To establish perspective, we suggest viewing the fairgrounds as being potentially positive for swine diseases.

This foundational presentation provides swine producers with comprehensive science-based biosecurity principles and practical implementation strategies for disease prevention on farm operations.

Implementing enhanced biosecurity plans will help prevent exposing animals to foot and mouth disease (FMD), classical swine fever (CSF), and African swine fever (ASF). Be prepared to share your plan with State Animal Health Officials prior to an outbreak (if requested).

Dr. Derald Holtkamp and Dr. Chris Rademacher, define and discuss the concept of staged loading. Dr.Holtkamp shares findings from a study on this concept and gives tips on how to implement the practice in your own swine operation.

Prepare using the Rubbermaid® Protocol for biosecure trailer entry. A step-by-step list of materials for preparation are included.

Guide for carcass management options for emergency planning and response purposes -- intended for quick response while containing disease pathogens, protecting the environment and maximizing cost-effectiveness.

The Livestock Burial Zones interactive map was developed to assist with rapid assessment of proposed sites for animal burial as well as identifying areas where burial is prohibited.

Information to assist planners and responders in quickly identifying 3D options during an outbreak.

 This manual contains instructions, equipment, budget and additional resources for a v-restrainer depopulation method following AVMA guidelines.

System manual for mass depopulation using CO2 following AVMA guidelines and criteria.

Lori Miller, USDA APHIS, discusses carcass management options for safe disposal during outbreaks.

Verify and manage your Premises Identification Numbers (PINs), a critical component of animal disease traceability and foreign animal disease preparedness. Verified premises identification is required for participation in the US Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) and Secure Pork Supply programs, and becomes vital during disease outbreak responses when animal movement tracking and trace-in/trace-out investigations are necessary.

Foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever are the diseases included in the Secure Pork Supply Plan. Learn more about these diseases and additional resources available.

This comprehensive presentation provides swine producers with critical foreign animal disease (FAD) preparedness training, focusing primarily on African Swine Fever (ASF) readiness and response strategies.

During a foreign animal disease outbreak, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will conduct epidemiological investigations examining any movement that could have potentially carried disease onto or off a swine facility during a minimum of the previous 30 days.

This essential guide provides swine producers with step-by-step protocols for navigating a foreign animal disease (FAD) investigation from initial suspicion through resolution. Immediate reporting is critical when FAD is suspected.

This comprehensive checklist guides swine producers through essential steps for foreign animal disease (FAD) preparedness across three critical phases: prevention, contingency planning, and response.

To effectively respond to emerging swine diseases, early communication about outbreaks with new or unexpected etiologies is needed.  To facilitate this veterinarians and pork producers must know the actionables and contacts in the event of an emerging disease.  The Emerging Disease Communication Plan will inform them of the process that will follow notification and the resources available to respond.

If your biosecurity protocols do not permit outside equipment and materials from crossing your line of separation, you should consider having the following supplies on your farm. This will allowfederal or state veterinarians to complete a foreign animal disease investigation.

This document is to provide awareness and encourage action planning prior to the county fair. The Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) continues to be important to local pork producers and the pork industry. PEDV has infected a majority of Iowa’s sow units, yet many operations remain free of the disease.

PEDV is a coronavirus that is related to transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and causes enteric disease clinically indistinguishable from TGE.

Senecavirus A (formerly known as Seneca Valley Virus) is a non-enveloped single-stranded RNA virus of the family Picornaviridae. The ultimate concern is that clinical signs may be clinically indistinguishable from other vesicular diseases which are foreign animal diseases.

Conjunctivitis in swine is characterized by inflammation of the conjunctival membranes of the eye. Causes can include common infectious pathogens, foreign animal disease, and non-infectious avenues such as high level of dust or ammonia, elevated hydrogen sulfide level, and allergenic bedding material. Learn how to recognize it and what to do when conjunctivitis is detected in your animals.

Seasonally, insect bites on market swine can cause skin lesions that can result in as much as $6-$15/head trim loss in packing plants in the upper Midwest. It is important to understand which insect(s) you are dealing with and seek professional help to determine the proper mitigation response. This publication offers considerations and best practices for managing insect populations near swine sites.

This publication offers considerations for swine vaccinations based on disease, stage of production, and time of administration. These are general guidelines and not one-size-fits-all protocols for swine vaccinations. Producers should work with their veterinarians in a valid veterinary client patient relationship (VSPR) to create a final protocol for their operation.

Did you know? Animals and people can spread disease before they show symptoms of sickness. This video shows visually how an infectious disease might spread through a group, whether it be animals or people.

Map showing the top hog producing states with livestock truck washes.

FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects cloven-hooved livestock and wildlife. It is characterized by ulcerations and blisters on the snout, mouth and coronary bands of pigs, sheep and cattle. It is considered a foreign animal disease, since it is not currently in the United States.

SHIC’s domestic disease monitoring reports are the result of the veterinary diagnostic lab (VDL) data standardization project the Center supported. The model describes dynamics of disease detection by pathogen over time, specimen, age group, and geographical space.

The global swine disease surveillance report system was developed at the University of Minnesota using a private-public-academic partnership including collaboration with the USDA/APHIS Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (USDA-CEAH).