The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said on Wednesday 9 June that outdoor pig farms pose a substantial risk of introducing and spreading African swine fever.
Outdoor farming of pigs is common in the EU. However, there is no legislation at EU level to categorise these farms, so the information available is limited, not harmonised and should be interpreted with care, according to an EFSA statement.
The EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare is of the opinion that the installation of single solid or double fences around outdoor pig farms in areas of the EU where ASF is present could reduce the risk of spread by at least 50%.
In addition, the implementation of comprehensive and objective on-farm biosecurity assessments and the approval of outdoor pig farms on the basis of biosecurity risk would further reduce the risk of introduction and spread.
EFSA recommends that derogations from the current restrictions on outdoor pig farming in areas affected by this disease may be considered on a case-by-case basis, if the above-mentioned and other specific biosecurity measures have been implemented. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)