France is contemplating building a fence along its border with Germany as part of new measures to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) from western Germany, where outbreaks have been detected in domestic pigs and wild boar. This initiative aims to protect France’s pork industry from the disease.
ASF presents a serious risk to pig populations, prompting France to ramp up surveillance and intensify wild boar culling near the German border to reduce the threat.
“Given the recent spread of ASF in wild boar in Germany, the ministry has intensified ASF surveillance in the Bas-Rhin and Moselle departments,” French Agriculture Ministry said in a statement, referencing the two northeastern regions of France bordering Germany.
This strategy mirrors previous efforts along the Belgian border, where similar actions proved effective in controlling outbreaks.
According to the French Ministry of Agriculture, the proposed fence and increased monitoring highlight France’s proactive stance against ASF, a virus with no cure that can devastate pig herds.
The goal is to safeguard domestic pork production and ensure the economic stability of the agricultural sector.
The country is now mobilizing hunters and applying strategies that have proven successful in neighboring areas, stressing the importance of biosecurity to stop ASF from spreading further into new regions.
Through these measures, France aims to protect its swine industry from severe damage and maintain stability in its agricultural sector.
