Over the past decade, citizens across Rome have experienced an outbreak of wild boars and the African swine fever they carry, as well as the consequences of the crisis. Causes of the surge in populations range from high reproduction rates to lack of large predators.
So far, according to the Washington Post, more than 14,000 farm pigs across Piedmont and Liguria have been culled as a preventative measure. And in a small farm on the outskirts of Rome’s city limits, around 1,200 pigs had to be culled because of two infected pigs that were found.
The crisis could result in culling thousands of commercially raised pigs due to the potential outbreak of African swine fever, as well as affect 100,000 people’s jobs and income.
“Just think of the San Daniele prosciutto of Parma. It would get very serious, very quickly,” David Granieri, head of the local chapter of the Coldiretti farmers’ association stated.
Countries, including China and Japan, have already started establishing import bans on Italian pork. Import pauses have already caused these countries to suffer $20 million worth of damage, the Parma Ham Consortium, which protects the Prosciutto di Parma brand, told The Post.
At the end of May, according to The Post, the “threat to the Italian pork industry is so dramatic” that farmers across Italy were holding protests to demand the government to act. A factor which causes the fever to be so potent is that no cure or vaccine has been discovered for it yet.
Angelo Ferrari, a professional assigned to deal with the problem by the government, stated, “I don’t see the eradication of the disease as a possibility, unless you bring about a strong reduction of the [boar] population. The thing is, there’s just too many of them.”
Link to article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658068976269x129744109329765550/African%20swine%20fever_%20boars%20that%20roam%20Rome%20must%20be%20killed%2C%20officials%20say%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
So far, according to the Washington Post, more than 14,000 farm pigs across Piedmont and Liguria have been culled as a preventative measure. And in a small farm on the outskirts of Rome’s city limits, around 1,200 pigs had to be culled because of two infected pigs that were found.
The crisis could result in culling thousands of commercially raised pigs due to the potential outbreak of African swine fever, as well as affect 100,000 people’s jobs and income.
“Just think of the San Daniele prosciutto of Parma. It would get very serious, very quickly,” David Granieri, head of the local chapter of the Coldiretti farmers’ association stated.
Countries, including China and Japan, have already started establishing import bans on Italian pork. Import pauses have already caused these countries to suffer $20 million worth of damage, the Parma Ham Consortium, which protects the Prosciutto di Parma brand, told The Post.
At the end of May, according to The Post, the “threat to the Italian pork industry is so dramatic” that farmers across Italy were holding protests to demand the government to act. A factor which causes the fever to be so potent is that no cure or vaccine has been discovered for it yet.
Angelo Ferrari, a professional assigned to deal with the problem by the government, stated, “I don’t see the eradication of the disease as a possibility, unless you bring about a strong reduction of the [boar] population. The thing is, there’s just too many of them.”
Link to article: https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1658068976269x129744109329765550/African%20swine%20fever_%20boars%20that%20roam%20Rome%20must%20be%20killed%2C%20officials%20say%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
