The World Pork Expo, which draws an international crowd annually to the largest hog-producing state in America, will not be held this June as a precaution against the spread of African swine fever (ASF), said its sponsor, the National Pork Producers Council, on Wednesday. NPPC president David Herring said the expo, a combination of swine show and trade fair, was canceled out of “extreme caution,” although experts said there was little actual risk of ASF associated with the expo.
“Prevention is our only defense against ASF, and NPPC will continue to do all it can to prevent its spread to the United States,” said Herring. There are no vaccines against the viral disease, which is almost always fatal to hogs though it does not affect people. China is battling an ASF epidemic, and the disease has been reported in Vietnam, South Africa, and Europe.
The expo was scheduled for June 5-7 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Herring said trade disputes have hobbled U.S. pork exports, and if that there were an ASF outbreak, many countries would ban U.S. pork. Hog farmers “are already operating in very challenging financial conditions,” he said. The NPPC says the government should hire an additional 600 agricultural inspectors to strengthen safeguards against the introduction of ASF.
During the avian influenza outbreak of 2014-15, the Iowa Agriculture Department banned live bird exhibitions at county fairs, livestock auctions, swap meets, and other avian gatherings for months. Besides being the top hog state, Iowa is also the No. 1 egg producer.