Pan-Canadian action plan is under development, Komal says.   Ottawa—The North American campaign to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) has received a big boost from the World Organization for Animal Health(OIE) with its call for international action to contain the deadly hog disease, says Jaspinder Komal, Canada's Chief Veterinary Officer. At its recent General Assembly meeting in Paris, OIE delegates from around the world agreed to launch a global initiative to control the spread of ASF. While eradicating it entirely is a long-term goal, what's needed now is action to reduce its devastating economic impacts on the pig industry globally. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization will co-ordinate the international campaign with the OIE. Komal said ASF “is now everyone's problem. “We now have a global campaign to assist both infected and uninfected countries,” he said. “It also recognizes this as is an economic and a social issue because of the mental health impact on producers whose herds are hit with the disease.” The OIE–FAO action will be the subject of animal health meetings in Panama in September to build on the impetus to tackle ASF generated by an international symposium in Ottawa in May, he said. It led to a Canada-U.S. agreement to impose zoning restrictions on the movement of pigs in an area where the disease if found without shutting down hog shipments between the two countries. A similar framework is being adopted in Europe where the disease has already been found in several countries. Japan has indicated its support for the zoning protocol developed by Canada and the U.S. and they hope other countries will as well. Meanwhile federal officials are working with provincial governments and farm groups on how to raise awareness of the disease and especially the threat it poses for small herds raised without the biosecurity protection large farms have in place, he said. Komal said there will be efforts to educate the owners of small herds. As well the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is engaging with wildlife officials to deal with the threat posed by wild pigs and boars across the country. “This is a complex problem.” The concern is that if ASF is discovered in wild boars or a small pig herd, it could shut down shipments from large farms in the surrounding areas, which would be a tough flow for the affected farmers. The OIE said the global control initiative is needed in part because there is no vaccine against the disease, which is spread by contact with infected hogs or contaminated feed. The disease poses no threat to humans. The OIE intends “to develop, improve and harmonise partnerships and coordination at national, regional and international levels … to control the disease, strengthen countries' prevention and preparation efforts, and minimise the adverse effects on animal health, animal welfare and international trade.” Preventing ASF's spread is important for infected and countries free of the disease, the OIE said. Among the steps needed to control it are effective traceability, management of wild pig populations and proper slaughter and disposal practices. “Because of its complex epidemiology, it isn't possible to control ASF without a coordinated response from the different sectors involved,” OIE said. Governments need to ensure clear communication with all parties involved in the hog sector including those tracking wild herds. Under the Canada-U.S. zoning agreement, “Canada and the United States have worked to modify their export certificates to allow trade of live swine, swine semen, pet food and animal by-products and meat to continue trade in approved disease-free zones in the event of an ASF outbreak,” Komal said. If a case of ASF is identified, geographic boundaries are defined to contain the outbreak in accordance with OIE guidelines. The areas outside of these control zones are disease-free zones.