In an effort to prevent African Swine Fever from spreading, South Korea orders hundreds of soldiers to man the North Korea border to track and capture wild boars.
The tally for South Korean hogs culled is expected to reach 50 thousand this week. The country reported a 7th case near the border with North Korea. Officials are culling all pigs within 1.8 miles of infected farms, a more aggressive protocol than the standard half-mile radius. South Korean spy agency, NIS, also reports ASF has spread all across North Korea
Meanwhile, 14 states are teaming up with the USDA to stage a practice drill for a potential African Swine Fever case in the United States.
The role-playing exercise will happen over 4 days and will include a “staged” Asf report, a statewide hog transportation freeze, deployment of animal disease investigators, and a mock quarantine of a Mississippi farm. The goal is to have a full reaction within 24 hours of the “pretend” ASF notice. Iowa Secretary Of Agriculture, Mike Naig, says the practice run is all about exercising plans and identifying any possible gaps.