US Suspends Pork Imports from Poland on ASF Concerns

Poland has been wrestling with African swine fever (ASF) since 2014 but has until now been able to supply the U.S. with pork from regions unaffected by the disease. But USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it was now suspending market access following a routine review of ongoing operations.“During these checks, it emerged that one Polish facility exporting pork to the U.S. had done so in contravention of the stringent requirements in place to prevent the spread of serious diseases of livestock, like ASF,” the agency explained.APHIS said a preliminary assessment suggested there is minimal animal health risk posed by any pork products imported recently into the US from Poland. There is no human health risk, as humans are not susceptible to ASF.APHIS said it is also reviewing the protocols for a second Polish facility.Poland exported 68,649 metric tons of pork to the U.S. in 2017.