Swine fever, new infection in Piacenza:the farmers tremble

The alarm is raised by Coldiretti Emilia-Romagna and Confagricoltura.And meanwhile the commissioner leaves

BOLOGNA – A farm in Piacenza was infected. And new outbreaks of swine fever in Lombardy and Piedmont.Talking about "increasingly worrying situation" is Coldiretti Emilia-Romagna, which denounces a “serious danger for our companies. We need to increase investments aimed at ensuring greater biosecurity on farms."

In Modena, in particular, “despite repeated requests and suggestions, there is a serious delay in the application of the regulations for the containment of wild boars”, raises the Coldiretti case.In the province of Modena, the trade association attacks, "there is no serious desire to make the means available to farmers operational, while the interests of those who only find the presence of wild boars an opportunity for a moment of fun seem to prevail." Farmers “are exasperated– states the trade association – for this reason it is necessary to intervene urgently to find definitive and immediate solutions to eradicate wild boars from the territory, help businesses and defend a production chain of vital importance for our province."

REQUESTS TO THE REGIONS FOR EXTRAORDINARY INTERVENTION PLANS

This is why farmers continue to ask the Regions “extraordinary intervention plans for the containment of uncontrolled wildlife”, especially wild boars.“We need to intervene urgently with a detailed containment plan,” says Coldiretti.The risk, claims the association, is that swine fever "spreads in an even more widespread manner, bringing to its knees a key sector of our agri-food sector such as the pig sector, already suffering due to compensation not yet received and with the need to have the resources necessary to cover the damage suffered with the healthcare blockades". Confagricoltura is also alarmed, pointing the finger from Piacenza at the extraordinary commissioner.

“He shuffled the cards and resigned - states the president of Confagricoltura Piacenza, Filippo Gasparini - he is the second.After meetings and proclamations he dropped everything and left." Gasparini recalls that "for at least 10 years we have been denouncing the presence of wild boars and the risks they pose.And now swine fever has entered the farms.It was a matter of time."

The wild boars in the woods “are dying”, says Gasparini, but “they are dying of plague, suffering and infecting the environment.Wouldn't it have been better to manage the population with more civilized tools?The hypocrisy is exasperating, there is little point in collecting signatures now and asking for a change of pace."

In Piacenza, Gasparini remarks, “hundreds of animals are about to be killed, after investments made to raise biosecurity to the highest levels and after having even provided the pigs with balls to play, because animal welfare must be respected on farms even in its craziest declinations."

“RIDICULOUS TO FENCE THE INFECTED AREAS WITH NETS”

For Gasparini it therefore appears “The initial approach that wanted to fence off the infected areas with nets was ridiculous.When faced with a disease, either we intervene with a vaccine or eliminate the vector.And the main carrier is wild boars.A lot of time has been wasted with the wrong approach, the system is too focused on blaming livestock."For this reason, says Gasparini, “we need a commissioner who knows our territory and our needs.We hope that a veterinarian will be appointed, more expert in culling than in biosecurity, who will act for the good of the farms."Giancarlo Tagliaferri, Fdi regional councilor, lashes out against the Region.“The supply chain of PDO cured meat production in the Piacenza area is seriously at risk - he states - and the total inaction of a council that only counts the days that separate it from the next regional elections arouses anger”.