African swine fever: who pays the price?

Who bears the highest cost of African Swine Fever? The answer is straightforward: as ASF spreads across many European countries, it’s currently affecting local breeds and extensive farming practices.

This viral disease affecting both wild boars and farmed pigs was initially detected in some Northeast European countries and made its way to Italy last year, with over 1000 confirmed cases in wild boars reported from Liguria to Piemonte, Lazio to Calabria. Not to mention Sardinia, which has hosted a less severe but still insidious strain for decades, not yet fully under control. There are no cures available, and a vaccine, if developed, could be of great assistance. While African Swine Fever is not harmful to humans, if it reaches the numerous pig farms in Italy, it could lead to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of animals, putting Italian pork production at risk. What is being done to combat it? How can we avoid confining outdoor-adapted pig breeds to indoor settings, causing stress and discomfort? How can we prevent preemptive slaughtering of pigs, even in cases of endangered breeds? The survival of many local breeds and virtuous farmers is becoming increasingly challenging.

Speakers:

• Ben Mehedin, Coordinator of the Slow Food Presidium for Bazna pig, Romania;
• Dessislava Dimitrova, President of Slow Food in Bulgaria;
• Giorgia Angeloni, Veterinarians Without Borders;
• Elisabeth Paul, spokesperson for the Assocation for Rural Italy (ARI) and Producer of the Slow Food Presidium for Tortona salami;
• Stefano Chellini, farmer at Monte di Capenardo, Ligruia
• Vincenzo Caputo, Director of the Zooprophylactic Institute of Umbria and Marche

Moderator:

Jacopo Goracci, coordinator of the Slow Food Presidium for the Maremmana cattle breed.

The events are free and open to all. To participate, online registration is appreciated (simply click the “Register” button and provide your email). 

Cheese 2023 is organized by Slow Food and the City of Bra from September 15-18. See you there! #Cheese2023

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