Chen Jizhong, the son of a pig farmer, in addition to strictly adhering to African swine fever during his tenure, he also successfully removed needles for foot-and-mouth disease and traditional swine fever. Things that the animal husbandry industry in other countries can't do, "Your life is the most worthwhile in the past few years (preventing African swine fever, eradicating foot-and-mouth disease, and traditional swine fever)!" (Photographed by reporter Yang Yuanting)

[Reporter Yang Yuanting/Taipei Report] Following the successful extraction of foot-and-mouth disease, Taiwan is expected to successfully eradicate traditional swine fever (swine fever). After the global outbreak of African swine fever in 2018, Taiwan successfully prevented the epidemic of African swine fever. The vice-chairman Jincheng said today (30th) that it will take 2 to 30 years for other countries to eliminate related diseases. No country in the world can eliminate foot-and-mouth disease and traditional swine fever within 6 years like Taiwan. Report Taiwan's epidemic prevention and needle removal process to WOAH (World Organization for Animal Health) for reference by other countries.

The Council of Agriculture announced today that starting from New Year's Day, hogs and newborn piglets will be completely suspended from vaccination against swine fever. After July 1, 2023, breeding pigs will also be completely suspended. They will report to WOAH in June 2024 that "whether swine fever is non-existent" Du Wenzhen, director of the Bureau of Prevention and Inspection, said that it will go through about 2 months of data review, because the Animal Health has a WOAH-approved swine fever reference laboratory, and the data submitted by my country can effectively convince all WOAH partners. If all goes well , Taiwan will be listed as a swine fever-free zone when the WOAH conference is held in 2025, and Taiwan will also be the only country in Asia that is not a swine fever-free zone.

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Chen Jizhong, chairman of the Council of Agriculture, said that Taiwan will be one of the very few countries in the world that are free from the three pig diseases. The competitiveness of Taiwan's pig industry will be greatly improved. Obtained HACCP, the establishment of a comprehensive pork cold chain, and improved pig raising facilities.

Successive defenses against African swine fever, as well as the successful removal of needles for foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever, in addition to the strong cooperation of pig farmers' groups, policy guidance is also the key. Leading the inspection bureau, animal health office, animal testing institute and other teams to jointly implement measures successfully, Huang Jincheng, who also went to the countryside to have dozens of discussions with pig farmers, said that it has been 6 years since the start of the foot-and-mouth disease needle removal measure. Taiwan has eliminated foot-and-mouth disease and swine fever in 6 years, while other countries, such as Argentina, have spent nearly 6 years. In the past 30 years, I have bluntly stated that no country in the world can do what Taiwan has done.

The achievement of the impossible task by the Council of Agriculture is related to the fact that in 2018, the cross-ministerial committees jointly strictly observed the African swine fever. From customs to border quarantine, as well as strict inspection of postal parcels and express parcels, we tried to prevent and block loopholes as much as possible. Strict security checks, Chen Jizhong said, successfully blocking African swine fever is also equivalent to blocking the risk pathways of swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.

Golden City further stated that the behavior of pig farmers themselves has also undergone important changes. Before the outbreak of African swine fever, pig farmers often organized groups to visit livestock farms in other countries. After the outbreak of African swine fever, no pig farmers did this again. "This is very "Important changes", in addition to the customs' strict control over the import of pork products abroad, as well as the improvement of food waste pig farming measures, these are important measures to continue to strictly guard against the epidemic in the future.

After the suspension of swine fever vaccination, Golden City said that it not only increased the confidence of the pig farming industry, but he estimated that the saved vaccine costs and labor costs could save NT$700 million a year, which would also increase the competitiveness of the industry.