USDA proposes to recognize Tuscany and Umbria, Italy as being free of swine vesicular disease
Comments on proposal accepted until Oct. 23
Federal government officials in the U.S. have advised the public about a proposal to recognize the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy as being free of swine vesicular disease. This proposed recognition follows a risk assessment conducted by veterinarians with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
APHIS seeks public comments on the proposal on or before Oct. 23, 2023.
Italian government officials had asked the U.S. for a status declaration for Tuscany and Umbria. According to the proposal, the measures in place in the two regions are sufficient to minimize the possibility of introducing swine vesicular disease into the U.S. The surveillance, prevention and control measures implemented in Tuscany and Umbria were evaluated positively by APHIS.
U.S. regulations for the importation of animal products require health guarantees against the risk of introducing swine vesicular disease, described as "a dangerous and notifiable disease." According to the principle of regionalization, however, territories where the disease is absent offer guarantees of indemnity and animal health which are allowed to be evaluated.
The indemnity milestone achieved by Tuscany and Umbria also opens important prospects for local entrepreneurs to export meat and pork products to the U.S.
It may soon be possible to export not only pork products that have undergone a heat treatment capable of inactivating the virus or that have undergone a maturation period of at least 400 days, but also fresh meat and meat products.
APHIS maintains a web-based list of regions which the agency considers free of swine vesicular disease.
Read more and comment on the Federal Register announcement.
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