Economics
China’s Hog Scourge Helps the U.S. as Long as It Avoids Contagion
- African swine fever outbreak in China a boon for U.S. exports
- North American hog producers on high alert amid disease threat
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With the unprecedented outbreak of a deadly pig disease sweeping through Asia and parts of Europe, North American hog producers like David Herring are taking every precaution to keep the scourge out of their borders.
Herring won’t allow international travelers to enter his farms in North Carolina, Indiana and Illinois for at least five days after they arrive in the U.S. And then, like all farm visitors, they have to shower before walking into a barn. The goal is to keep out African swine fever, the contagious viral disease that’s forced China’s farmers to cull more than 1 million animals since August.