Study: Risk of ASF in U.S. Has Doubled

A recent study shows the risk of African Swine Fever entering the U.S. has nearly doubled since the ASF epidemic began in 2018.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine say the probability of ASF already reaching the U.S. is high, but efforts to stop the virus at the borders have stopped its entry.

The study measured the risk of ASF entering the United States through the smuggling of pork products in air passenger luggage.

The study reports five specific airports account for over 90 percent of the potential risk: Newark-New Jersey, George Bush-Houston-Texas, Los Angeles-California, John F. Kennedy-New York, and San Jose-California.

If ASF were to enter the United States, its spread would cause immense economic damage to the pork industry and food production more broadly, and could lead to billions of dollars of losses for swine producers.

Since the 2018 outbreak in China, the country has slaughtered an estimated 1,170,000 animals.