The intention emerged from the meeting to move towards uniform control activity across the national territory, for coordinated management of the epidemic. The inclusion of epidemic livestock diseases among the competences of the Civil Protection has been approved by the Region and a reinforcement of veterinary staff has been requested. Meanwhile, the commitment to contain the spread of the disease and protect farms continues
May 9, 2024 – One national strategy clear and shared with the interested Regions to stop the spread of over the African pig and eradicate the virus, strengthening the good control and prevention practices adopted so far. It was decided in the control room which took place today in Roma, in which i participated ministries of Agriculture, Health, Civil Protection, Defense and Interior together with representatives of Regions affected.
The region Emilia Romagnarepresented by the councilors for health policies and agriculture, positively evaluates that during the meeting the seriousness of the problem was acknowledged at a national level and we are moving towards uniform control activity over the entire territory, to create coordination in managing the epidemic. The Region also asked for a reinforcement of the presence of veterinary personnel for controls on farms and in production plants for activities linked to the export of products of pig origin and for the control of the disease in wild boars, in particular for the territories – such as Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy and Piedmont – in which the impact on the pig sector it could be particularly relevant.
The fact that it was demonstrated is also considered a step forward desire to include epidemic diseases among the competences of the Civil Protectionthus borrowing the regulatory instruments, an element that allows us to give further incisiveness to tackle the spread of swine fever with every possible means.
The Region shares the need to assign special powers to the national commissioner necessary to act promptly in derogation of procurement regulations; the need for was also highlighted hurry upbecause with each passing day the risks for the production sector increase with possible repercussions on the entire sector.
The commitment of the Region
Since the onset of the first case of PSA in Italy, in Piedmont in January 2022, the Emilia-Romagna Region has deployed its own resources to first prevent and then contain the spread of the disease. In recent years it has first approved a risk containment plan and subsequently a disease eradication plan with the identification of the areas where to carry out the depopulation of wild boars, the times in which to carry it out (by the summer of 2024) and the estimate of the wild boar population to be reached to slow down the contagion. A lot of attention also to biosafety of the farms, with the planning of checks throughout the regional territory. The plan has two main objectives: to avoid the further spread of the infection in the regional territory and to reduce the risk of the infection reaching pig farms.
Depopulation
Once the control plan for the wild boar species was approved and the critical districts were identified, we proceeded with the definition of two tenders which will be operational in a few days to further strengthen the wild boar culling activities, which were able to carry out depopulation interventions both by culling the wild boars by shooting than through capture via traps. A third tender is being defined to allow the use of the entire sum of two million euros that the Region made available to the commissioner structure last year.
For 2024 they have been made available 900 thousand euros to the provincial police for the implementation of provincial wildlife control plans, which are in addition to the 4.8 million which the Region transfers annually to the Provinces for wildlife management. Starting from 2024, there will be the possibility of reporting the head shot (130 euros) and the possibility for provincial police forces to establish agreements with external bodies including territorial hunting areas.
Biosafety
The planning of biosecurity checks on farms across the region began as early as 2022 and continued with the definition of the biosecurity requirements to be respected on farms.
Overall, three tenders were defined (in 2022, 2023 and 2024) for a total value of 9.7 million euros. There are 170 projects eligible for financing, approximately one farm in four in Emilia-Romagna.
The main financed interventions concern the installation of anti-intrusion/anti-livestock fences, the construction of vehicle disinfection stands, the creation of filter areas and cold rooms and design costs.
Campaign of comunication
The Region, already in 2022, took action by creating a communication campaign aimed at informing citizens and operators about the disease, which cannot be transmitted to humans, and about the measures to be
adopt to stop its spread.
It was established the single regional number 051 6092124 to collect reports from citizens, in particular hikers, hunters, mushroom and truffle hunters, and operators who may come across the remains or carcasses of pigs that may have been infected.
The campaign also involved the creation of a dedicated web page on the Region’s website, which contains basic information on the disease and instructions for citizens and operators to prevent the disease from spreading on farms. Furthermore, a video and a poster were created to illustrate to citizens the good practices to avoid the transmission of the disease and how to report dead animals.
A further section dedicated to PSA is online on the regional website “Food and Health” which contains more in-depth information on how to combat the spread of the disease, national diffusion data and measures to be taken to protect farms.