The confirmation of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the Dominican Republic (DR) last week was the first in the Western Hemisphere in 40 years. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO, Dan Halstrom, says while the findings are concerning, the U.S. industry is well-prepared for these situations.
Halstrom noted the DR is an outstanding market for U.S. pork and he does not expect ASF to slow U.S. exports. But, he also points out that ASF in the DR heightens the need to reach regionalization protocols with our key trading partners.
These agreements are designed to allow exports to continue from non-impacted areas in the event of an animal disease outbreak in the U.S.