No Domestic African Swine Fever Outbreak: Council of Agriculture Experts Safeguard the Safety of Domestic Pork
The Spring Festival is the peak season for buying pork products, but false rumors circulating online have dampened demand for domestic pork. Today (the 19th), the Council of Agriculture held a joint press conference with experts, stating that there is currently no African swine fever outbreak in the country at all, refuting the false online rumors and urging consumers to buy with confidence. Lin Jung-hsin, a professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science at National Ilan University, said that there is currently no African swine fever virus in the country, meaning domestic meat products are also free of African swine fever, and he urged consumers and the market not to worry.
Council of Agriculture: False Online Rumors Have Affected Demand; Domestic Pork Is Safe After Inspection
Chen Chi-chung, Minister of the Council of Agriculture, said that the production process for domestic pork (including raising, slaughtering and processing) has checkpoint mechanisms at every stage, and slaughter marks are clearly indicated. No pork carrying the virus will ever enter the supply chain, and consumers who look for the mark can identify and confidently buy safe domestic meat products.
Chen Chi-chung said that there is currently no African swine fever outbreak in the country at all, and that "false information online has already affected consumers' willingness to buy domestic pork."
Chen explained that for every pig produced by a domestic livestock farm, from the production area to the supply chain, including dispatch, pre- and post-slaughter, and processing, there are veterinary checks and certification marks. When farmers send pigs out, they must attach a pig health declaration. Before slaughter, a veterinarian must conduct an ante-mortem inspection to confirm the animal is healthy, and during slaughter a veterinarian must also carry out inspections. Pork (carcasses) that pass inspection are stamped on the skin with the qualified mark "Slaughter Sanitation Inspection Passed," while meat products or packaging carry the "Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Slaughter Sanitation Passed" mark. Chen Chi-chung specifically said, "Don't let [good pigs] be affected before swine fever has even arrived."
Scholars and Experts Unanimously Endorse Domestic Pork as Safe; Keeping the Virus Out Is the Key
Chen Te-hsun, a professor at the Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology at National Chung Hsing University, said he had previously participated in reviews of domestic slaughterhouses and their construction, and believes domestic slaughtering meets world standards. He expressed confidence in the hygiene and safety of domestic pork products.
Chen Ming-ju, a professor in the Department of Animal Science at National Taiwan University, said that domestic pork is currently healthy and safe, and that under the current meat slaughtering process, any problematic meat will not be made into products or enter consumer supply chains. She also reminded consumers that meat is a fresh food, and that refrigerating it immediately after purchase and cooking it thoroughly before eating allows pork to be enjoyed with confidence.
Chiang Chih-kang, a professor at the Graduate Institute of Toxicology at National Taiwan University, also said that the African swine fever virus is not harmful to humans, but if a person eats meat containing the African swine fever virus, the virus may survive in their excrement, which could then affect pigs. Therefore, he said, preventing the virus from entering the country and not bringing meat products into the country are important issues.
Lin Jung-hsin said that the current focus of discussion on African swine fever in the country should be on preventing the virus from entering the country. Not carrying prohibited meat products and controlling the risk at the source are what should be strictly implemented at present. Lin said that "not carrying meat products across borders" should in fact have been implemented all along, and it is only because of this swine fever outbreak that everyone has begun to pay attention. He also called for preparation for a long-term battle, starting with fully implementing everyday matters such as controlling meat carried in and inspecting meat sent out from livestock farms.
Pork Prices Temporarily Stable; Rumors Will Affect Consumer Confidence
Chen Kuo-hsun, Chairman of the Taiwan Frozen Meat Industry Association, said that pork consumption prices have not fluctuated so far, but some consumers ask for proof that "the product contains no African swine fever virus" when buying. Chen Kuo-hsun said that there is currently no outbreak in the country. The dead pig that washed ashore in Kinmen a few days ago drifted from China into waters near Kinmen, and was a Chinese pig, not a Kinmen pig. The area around the Kinmen incident site has also been disinfected, and testing found no African swine fever virus, so all domestic meat products are safe and free of African swine fever virus.
In Future, Short-Distance Poultry Transport Vehicles Will Be Required to Carry GPS Systems for Tracking
Domestic pork currently has relevant controls and certifications at both the farm and slaughter ends, but at the expert meeting of the African Swine Fever Emergency Response Center on January 8, many reminders were given regarding the "transport system." At present, domestic rendering transport vehicles for pigs and poultry (large trucks used to transport dead pigs and dead poultry) are dedicated vehicles, and all are required to carry GPS systems so that the subsequent whereabouts of dead animals can be clearly tracked. However, short-distance local poultry transport vehicles (used to transport live pigs or already-slaughtered meat) do not have tracking systems.
In response, Chen Chi-chung said, "We will; this will be needed." And what is the expected schedule? "This will be discussed within the (African swine fever disaster) response center."
And if an outbreak occurs in the country, are there any subsidy measures for pig farms? Chiang Wen-chuan, Senior Technical Specialist and concurrently Section Chief of the Livestock Production Section of the Animal Husbandry Division of the Council of Agriculture, said that if an outbreak occurs at a domestic pig farm and is reported proactively, under the "Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases," the entire farm will be assessed regarding pig handling and feed removal, and corresponding subsidies will be given with the aim of "not causing losses to pig farmers."
Hand Luggage Inspections at Taoyuan Airport Only Reach 50 Percent; Chen Chi-chung: Manpower Deployment Will Be Strengthened
Regarding hand luggage inspections at Taoyuan Airport currently reaching only 50 percent, Chen Chi-chung said the goal will certainly be a 100 percent inspection rate, and during the transition period, manpower will first be redeployed to achieve full inspection of hand luggage. As for the progress of inventories of local capacity for disposing of kitchen waste? Chen Chi-chung said that localities are taking inventory and understanding the situation, and will also submit plans to the Environmental Protection Administration. "We will ask local environmental protection agencies to complete this as soon as possible, and it is already being accelerated."