Giving Compass' Take:

• The USDA is going to take more efforts to stop the spread of African swine fever, as this deadly disease is already greatly impacting the pig market in China and other places across the world. 

• What other steps is the USDA taking to ensure our food markets are safe from diseases? 

• Disease-resistant pigs are here, why aren't we eating them? Click here to find out. 

As we’ve reported, African swine fever, a deadly disease that’s spread like wildfire through China, is knocking at America’s door. Yesterday, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it was stepping up efforts to stop it.

As part of a new “surveillance plan,” the department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will begin testing for the virus. According to a news announcement on Thursday, the department will test high-risk samples from veterinary labs, sick or dead pigs at slaughters, and herds that have been exposed to feral swine or fed garbage.

USDA has already been working with officials in Canada and Mexico on a “coordinated approach” to preventing the spread of ASF, and increased canine detector teams at Customs and Border Protection. Those intrepid pooches are trained to sniff out cargo, passengers, and products arriving from countries affected by ASF, such as China, Vietnam, and Poland. The department has also restricted imports of pork from affected countries.

Read the full article on testing pigs for African swine fever by Sam Bloch at The New Food Economy.