Last Modified: December 20, 2024

Hunters play a very important role in protecting the American swine herd from African swine fever (ASF)—a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that spreads rapidly and affects domestic and feral swine alike. Even one case of swine fever can wipe out every pig in the area, risking a multi-billion-dollar loss to our economy. You have a unique opportunity to help protect our pigs.

How You Can Spot Disease

Seeing signs of disease during a hunting trip may be the first sighting of ASF in the United States. Though it is not a threat to humans, if ASF were to come to our country, it would interrupt pork production and could cause severe job loss for anyone whose livelihood involves pigs. Even if you do not hunt pigs, you may see signs of feral swine infected with ASF in the wild.

Animal health surveillance is the key to detecting animal diseases early so we can respond quickly and prevent the spread. When you are out hunting:

6 Key Prevention Steps

How To Prevent Disease Spread

ASF can devastate swine populations, but you can help protect our pigs from this highly contagious disease. Biosecurity during hunting includes all measures and procedures you can take to reduce the risk of introducing or spreading ASF and other animal diseases. By taking key biosecurity measures, hunters help protect our pigs.

Report Any Signs

phone icon

Immediately report animals with any signs to State or Federal animal health officials or call USDA for appropriate testing and investigation.

Call USDA at 1-866-4-USDA-WS

Sign Up for Email Alerts!

email icon

Stay informed. Get the latest updates on African swine fever.

Sign Up Now