Swine fever, the ordinance signed: "Allows you to work safely"

Ministers Roberto Speranza and Stefano Patuanelli signed an order to curb the swine fever epidemic in the affected areas. "The ordinance - it is emphasized - allows production activities to continue working safely, providing reassurance regarding our exports".

The provisions "also apply to the regions with special statutes and to the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, compatibly with the respective statutes and the relative implementation regulations".

In the area established as infected by African swine fever, 114 municipalities of which 78 in Piedmont and 36 in Liguria, hunting activities of any type are prohibited. However, selection hunting for wild boar is allowed as a tool to reduce the excess population and strengthen the monitoring network for the presence of the virus if authorized by the competent regional services.

"In the areas concerned - explains the ordinance - the collection of mushrooms and truffles, fishing, trekking, mountain biking and other activities which, providing for direct or indirect interaction with infected or potentially infected wild boars, are also prohibited , pose a risk for the spread of the disease ".

"The activities related to health, to the care of kept and wild animals as well as to the health and care of plants, including silvicultural activities, are excluded - reads the ordinance". "The competent regional services - continues the document - at the request of the interested parties, may authorize, upon justified and documented request, the carrying out of prohibited activities, based on the risk assessment by CEREP".

"The competent regional services - concludes the ordinance - will take care to provide the owners of the authorized activities in derogation with the necessary instructions in order to avoid or reduce the risk of spreading the ASF virus from the aforementioned area to territories outside the same. the application of the measures is ensured by the veterinary services of the territorially competent local health authorities in collaboration with the law enforcement agencies ".

The supervision of the application of the measures introduced is ensured by the veterinary services of the territorially competent local health authorities in collaboration with the police.

The cases of African swine fever found in recent days in some wild boars between Piedmont and Liguria have activated precautionary measures at the borders of Switzerland, Kuwait and in the East (China, Japan and Taiwan) where a temporary stop has been given, announced Confagricoltura, all import of meats and cured meats made in Italy. Exports are at stake, according to CIA-Italian Agricoltori estimates, which amount to 1.7 billion euros (+ 12.2% vs. 2020).

(Unioneonline / D)