The Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) are to be involved in curbing the spread of African swine fever (ASF).
The Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture is working with the EDF, as well as the volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) and its women’s equivalent Naiskodukaitse, to strengthen ASF monitoring, mostly with regard to the disease’s spread among Estonia’s wild boar population.
ASF reached epidemic levels in Estonia last year, leading to the slaughter of tens of thousands of domestic pigs and the folding of several pig farms and meat packing businesses.
The virus remains a serious threat to pig farming in Estonia.
“The virus does not spread only through direct contact between animals, but can also be transmitted via contaminated soil, feed, or mud stuck to footwear,” said Kadri Kaugerand, the ministry’s head of food safety.
The EDF and Defense League will be particularly useful in more sparsely populated regions of the country, and the move comes at a time when the annual Spring Storm (Kevadtorm) exercise is underway. A major vector of ASF is wild boar, and culls of these populations have been ongoing too.
“When planning and conducting the Spring Storm exercise, we have been taking into account all applicable safety requirements and work closely with the Agriculture and Food Board to mitigate potential risks related to the spread of African swine fever. Our goal is to ensure that military training is carried out in a way that does not endanger the environment, livestock farming, or local communities,” said Lt Col. Ago Savi, Exercise Spring Storm’s chief planner.
Those taking part in Spring Storm have been encouraged to remain vigilant and report boar, both alive or dead, that they may spot, to the Agriculture and Food Board (PTA).
Lt Col. Allar Eesmaa, Defense League chief of logistics, said: “Members of the Defense League and the Women’s Voluntary Defense League know their areas of responsibility well, which allows them to quickly detect and respond to environmental threats.”
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease affecting pigs and wild boar, with mortality rates more or less at 100 percent. It does not harm humans, but continuing to farm herds with ASF outbreaks will only lead to it spreading further.
Members of the public can also report findings of deceased wild boar to the PTA here.
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