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World Pork Expo canceled as precaution against ASF

By DOUG SCHMITZ

DES MOINES, Iowa — As African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in China and other parts of Asia, posing a possible risk to the U.S. herd, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) announced last week its decision to cancel this year’s World Pork Expo.

“While an evaluation by veterinarians and other third-party experts concluded negligible risk associated with holding the event, we have decided to exercise extreme caution,” said David Herring, NPPC president and a Lillington, N.C., producer.

“The health of the U.S. swine herd is paramount; the livelihoods of our producers depend on it. Prevention is our only defense against ASF and the NPPC will continue to do all it can to prevent its spread to the United States.”

Hosted by the NPPC in Des Moines since 1987, the World Pork Expo is the world’s largest pork industry-specific trade show, bringing together pork producers and other industry professionals from around the world for three days of education, innovation, and networking.

Held every June at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, the Expo hosts an estimated 20,000 visitors during the three-day event, which include producers and exhibitors from ASF-positive regions. This year’s was scheduled for June 5-7.

According to the NPPC, ASF is a viral disease that causes high mortality in domestic and wild pigs, spreading through close contact with infected animals or their excretions, or through feeding uncooked contaminated meat to susceptible pigs. It stated ASF affects only pigs, and presents no human health or food safety risks.

Signs of ASF can be variable but often include high fever, decreased appetite, and weakness. The skin may be reddened, blotchy, or have blackened lesions. Infected pigs may also have diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Currently, no vaccine or treatment exists.

The decision to cancel this year’s Expo came as more than 100 U.S pork producers gathered in Washington, D.C., last week to meet with members of Congress during the NPPC’s Legislative Action Conference, where officials discussed solutions for trade, animal disease preparedness, and agriculture’s labor shortage.

“Prevention is our best defense against an animal disease like African swine fever, for which no vaccine exists,” Herring said.

To augment the USDA’s efforts to protect from ASF and other animal diseases, U.S. pork producers asked Congress to appropriate funding for 600 new U.S. Customs and Border Protection ag inspectors to further strengthen defenses against ASF.

“Our farmers are highly export-dependent,” Herring said. “An ASF outbreak would immediately close our export markets at a time when we are already facing serious trade headwinds.

“The retaliatory tariffs we currently face in some of our largest export markets due to trade disputes are among the factors that prompted a conservative decision regarding the World Pork Expo. U.S. pork producers are already operating in very challenging financial conditions.”

He said the widespread presence of ASF in China’s swine herd, which is the world’s largest by far, takes the threat of ASF to an entirely new level. “We ask all producers, travelers, and the general public to recognize the heightened risk since the first outbreak was reported in China last year and to heed biosecurity protocols in support of U.S. agriculture.”

Economic impacts

The National Pork Board (NPB) in Des Moines, which houses the pork checkoff, supports NPPC’s decision. The checkoff has been helping to inform producers’ response to ASF since news of it broke in China last August.

“We completely understand that to cancel the World Pork Expo is a tough decision that no one wants to make,” said Steve Rommereim, NPB president and an Alcester, S.D., pork producer.

When it comes to the spread of ASF in Asia and Europe, he said caution must come first. “We stand by our pig-farming partners in doing anything we can to stem the spread of this disease. This is a serious global issue and we need to maintain our commitment and oversight to managing this disease spread.”

Gary Slater, Iowa State Fair CEO and fair manager, who used to work for the NPPC when he was once in charge of the World Pork Expo, also agreed with the organization’s decision.

“As a former pork producer working with pork producers, I can appreciate the dedication the National Pork Producers Council has shown to farmers and animal welfare in this situation,” he explained.

“The fairgrounds has been proud to be the home for the World Pork Expo for many years and we love to see it hopping with activity in June, but we respect the decision to cancel at this point. We will be working through the details in the coming weeks and months and are looking forward to 2020.”

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig said the state is working with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and producers to monitor the ASF outbreak overseas. “Protecting the health of Iowa’s livestock and our ag-based economy are our top priorities,” he said.

“We continue to stress the importance of following proper biosecurity protocols on the farm every day to prevent the spread of disease and protect our herds.”

U.S. pork producers provide 26 billion pounds of protein to consumers worldwide. With annual sales of more than $20 billion, U.S. production generates an estimated $23 billion of personal income and $39 billion of gross national product and supports more than 500,000 jobs across the country.

As the nation’s largest pork producer, Iowa’s pork industry creates $36.7 billion in economic activity, which includes not only the sales of pigs, but also ancillary businesses that provide feed and supplies, as well as pork processing plants.

That’s why the Iowa Pork Producers Assoc. (IPPA) also supports the NPPC’s decision. “While ASF affects only pigs, this viral disease could be catastrophic to Iowa pig farmers and the state’s economy if it was introduced to the Iowa herd,” it stated.

To date, nearly 142,000 Iowa jobs are related to pork processing, which is about 1 in 12 jobs in the state. Corn and soybean farmers would also see their markets impacted since pigs eat the equivalent of 25 percent of all corn and soybeans grown in the state, according to IPPA.

Last year alone, the Expo brought in about 5,200 hotel room stays and $6.3 million in spending, according to the Des Moines Register. “It’s really a big event for us,” said Greg Edwards, CEO of Catch Des Moines, the group representing the metro area’s convention and visitors bureau and sports commission.

He and his staff will target the leisure traveler in Iowa and neighboring states to try to offset the loss. “We respect and understand the decision, but it will be difficult to replace that size of business,” he told Register. “It’s highly unlikely that we’ll find a big-sized convention over those days.”

Jen Sorenson, vice president of the NPPC’s board and director of communications at Iowa Select Farms in Iowa Falls, told the paper canceling the Expo is a “big deal for Iowa and the U.S. industry.

“It’s a time for producers to come together, network, go to seminars, do business and work to continuously improve our farms,” she pointed out. “We’re disappointed, but we know it’s the right decision.”

Despite the Expo’s cancelation, the National Swine Registry, Certified Pedigreed Swine, and the American Berkshire Assoc. are still planning a live swine show during the week of June 2-8 at a location yet to be determined.

For more information on ASF, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/swine-disease-information/african-swine-fever

4/17/2019