EU faces pork health challenges from new country members

Monday, December 6, 2010

Small hobby farmers remain a risk to Romania's policy for preventing the spread of swine diseases, according to a report published by the European Food and Veterinary Office (EFVO).

Romania has long been plagued by outbreaks of Classical Swine Fever. The EFVO report, written after a visit to Romania last March, charges that targets for inspection and vaccination are not being met. Computerized identification and registration of livestock has technical issues. Transportation to and from those small farms is not well developed.

Until 2007, Romania had many problems with Classical Swine Fever. However, the veterinary office did not find new cases of swine fever and the risk for new infections is considered to be low.

Meanwhile Baltic Sea state Lithuania is in a sweat because of the threat African swine fever poses to European member states. Lithuania wants the Council of Agriculture Ministers to analyze the threat posed by intensive trade in pork products with Russia. African swine fever pops up frequently in south Russia near the Black Sea. There's no vaccine available against the disease. BP