Damage to crops
“African swine fever increasingly represents a danger for the primary sector of our country. The entire pig sector - from farms, to slaughter plants, to sausage and ham factories - is now seriously at risk. And the risk, of course, does not only concern the economic damage to companies, but also the health and welfare of animals." This was reported by Matteo Bartolini, president of Bye Umbria and national vice president. “This is why - he continues - due to the damage to crops, but also to the potential danger of transmission of swine fever, last January Cia Umbria firmly asked the Region to contain wild boars once the hunting calendar was closed. For Umbria, for example, in accordance with the provisions of the Extraordinary Commissioner for African Swine Fever, who was also dismissed a few days ago without apparent reasons, the extraordinary plan provides for an annual withdrawal of 44 thousand animals as follows: 24 thousand animals to be killed in collective hunting and in single form, 10 thousand in selection hunting and 10 thousand in control".
The usefulness of hunting
Bartolini explains that "the disease continues to spread rapidly across the national territory and prevention and control measures do not appear to be applied in a sufficiently effective and territorially uniform manner. Hunting certainly remains a useful tool to hinder the spread of swine fever, but it alone is not the solution”. In Umbria, as regulated by a resolution of the regional council, the deadline after which the owners can intervene directly on their fund for the emergency containment of wild boars has been reduced to one hour from the request for intervention to the ATC. On one condition: that the owners or managers of the land are in possession of a regular and valid hunting license and are specifically trained.
Financial resources to be increased
“In this direction, Cia - he continues - has always been attentive to requests from farmers and has identified the right path thanks to an agreement signed with Arci Caccia which will allow its members to participate in training courses, starting from September and with controlled costs , for the qualification to control wild boar species. It is necessary to implement a thoughtful and planned surveillance strategy - concludes Bartonini -, coordinated centrally by a group of experts. It is also necessary to increase financial and human resources and adopt structural measures on farms, starting with the adaptation of fences. Our Umbrian agriculture, already in difficulty, cannot afford the risk of further economic damage" (source: CIA Umbria).
You May Also Like ..
