PEDv Update: April 23, 2014

April 23, 2014 — 

1. Canada
   1. No new cases have been reported in Canada since April 11.
   2. Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced $200,000 in funding, to be matched by Sask Pork, for a contingency fund to help Saskatchewan’s hog industry respond to potential cases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus. (http://www.aasv.org/news/story.php?id=7146)
2. In light of the recent announcement from Secretary Vilsack regarding the implementation of reporting requirements for PEDv we wanted to bring AASV members up to date about our interactions with USDA on this issue. Since the PEDv outbreak began, there have been ongoing discussions about what role USDA should play in emerging production disease outbreaks. In response to suggestions that USDA was considering actions the agency could implement to address PEDv, AASV, along with NPB and NPPC, provided USDA with a list of proposed activities we felt USDA could undertake to support the efforts of the industry and benefit pork producers. To date, USDA has not responded to those suggestions.

   On Friday, April 18, Secretary Vilsack announced that USDA would be issuing an Federal Order requiring disease reporting and instituting movement tracking of animals and vehicles for PEDv and emerging diseases. We have not seen any plans from USDA describing how they actually plan to implement this mandate. In response to the announcement, AASV put together the following statement:

   AASV recognizes the USDA’s interest in reporting emerging diseases. We urge the agency to ensure that reporting and subsequent actions do not unnecessarily restrict the ability of pork producers to move their animals and equipment as needed or impose onerous restrictions on veterinarians or the diagnostic laboratory system that would impede their ability to diagnose and respond to PEDv or other emerging diseases.

   Swine veterinarians will continue to provide input to USDA as the agency comes forth with their plan on PEDv. We support the appropriation of USDA funds to enhance the development of infrastructure, response planning and research on diseases of significance to America’s pork producers.

   We will keep you informed as additional information becomes available.

3. This week’s New Case Report was not available. It will be published on the AASV website when received from the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.