ASF Belgium: domestic pigs in the infected area will be culled

The Federal Minister of Agriculture of Belgium, Denis Ducarme, has confirmed his decision to cull all domestic pigs present in the area currently defined for African swine fever. This measure is taken to avoid a possible transmission of the virus from wild boar to domestic pigs. The owners of the affected pig farms will receive a compensation for the animals slaughtered under mandatory culling by the Animal Health Fund.

It is important to note that, up to now, the virus has not affected domestic pigs in Belgium, and remains confined to the defined area.

Belgium Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) will be responsible for executing this decision in the coming days.