Changes to the ASF eradication and threat prevention procedures

On Tuesday, January 26, the government supported amendments to the regulations prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) that determine the procedure for eliminating and preventing the threat of African swine fever (ASF). The amendments to the regulations have been prepared to establish new exemptions from restrictions on the movement of animals and products derived from them from African swine fever risk areas.
The new conditions open up new opportunities for owners and keepers of porcine animals in the movement of animals and products derived from them. When the new conditions come into force, the following derogations from the old procedure will be introduced:
1) the sending of pigs for immediate slaughter from risk zone III in Latvia to a slaughterhouse in risk zone II or III in Lithuania, Estonia or Poland is permitted;
2) the sending of pigs for breeding purposes from a holding in risk zone II and III in Latvia to a holding in risk zone II or III in Lithuania, Estonia or Poland is permitted;
3) the sending of pigs for breeding purposes from a facility in risk zone III in Latvia to a facility in risk zone II or III in Latvia is permitted;
4) trade in pig semen, ova and embryos from risk zones II and III in Latvia is permitted;
5) a referral procedure (“channel procedure”) has been introduced – an information exchange system in the country of origin of the animals, the country of transit and the country of destination, the operation of which is supervised by the competent authorities of the country of origin of the animals, the country of transit and the country of destination, responsible for the supervision and control of animal health.
Also, with the entry into force of the new conditions, the restriction period in areas affected by African swine fever will be extended until December 31, 2019.
Amendments to the regulations will enter into force after their publication on the official publication "Latvijas Vēstnesis" website www.vestnesis.lv. More information on amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers (MK) Regulations No. 83 of 17 February 2004 "Procedures for the elimination and threat prevention of African swine fever" available on the Cabinet of Ministers website.
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Information prepared by:
Victoria Kalnina,
Public Relations Specialist, Ministry of Defense