African swine fever preparedness must include product flows

Preparedness for African swine fever does not end with on-farm biosecurity. AHDB has now summarised the outcome of cross-sector workshops held in Great Britain in early 2026. Producers, slaughter and processing businesses, veterinarians, retailers, industry bodies and government representatives considered what needs to function before, during and after a potential outbreak.

Six areas emerged from the work, including traceability, biosecurity, capacity, practical guidance and trade resilience. AHDB says work is already under way on an economic-impact assessment, communications for small-scale and rare-breed pig keepers, and a pre-designation workshop for processors. Participants are due to reconvene in spring 2027 to review progress.

The value of this approach lies in linking animal health with market operations. In an outbreak, a plant would not only face movement restrictions or a shortage of animals. It would also need to segregate goods, prove origin, adjust slaughter schedules and communicate with domestic and export customers. Available capacity and commercial specifications therefore become part of the disease-response system.

For companies in the pork chain, preparedness needs to be translated into practical tests: can affected animals, lots, carcases and products be identified and separated quickly? Are logistics alternatives and capacity decisions defined? Can origin data be used by customers, authorities and auditors? The lesson from the British process is that a contingency plan becomes operational only when veterinary responsibilities are connected to real product flows and commercial decisions.