A series of free workshops advising Scottish pig producers about how to protect their herds from African Swine Fever (ASF) will commence in Scotland next week.
The workshops, organised by Scottish Pigs in conjunction with livestock disease specialists Livetec Systems, are taking place across the country from March 9 to 18.
Funded by the Scottish Government, the events are designed to give farmers advice on preventing ASF from entering their herds and how to prepare their businesses to swiftly deal with an outbreak should it occur.
The events take place on the following dates:
- Monday, March 9 – 10am – 2.30pm at Thainstone Mart, Inverurie
- Wednesday, March 11 – 10am – 2.30pm at Red Lion Hotel, Inverurie
- Thursday, March 12 – 10am – 2.30pm at Buccleuch Arms, St Boswells
- Wednesday, March 18 – 12.30pm – 4.30pm at Laichmoray Hotel, Elgin
Producers can book their place to attend by emailing: accounts@scottishpigs.org
Spain risk
Scottish Pigs director, Andy McGowan, said: “We envisage these workshops will help farmers get as prepared as they can be to deal with ASF and should the worst happen, hopefully the disease will stay on as few units as possible and not spread across the country.”
He said recent outbreaks of ASF in Spain – along with an increase in pork imports from the country – have increased the risk of the disease entering the UK.
“The situation in Spain, along with the imports, increases the risk of infected meat coming into the UK and it’s increasingly becoming the case that our producers need to get prepared for when the disease appears in this country, rather than if it appears,” Mr McGowan said.
“ASF would be devastating to a farmer; as well as having to cull the entire herd and then clean and disinfect the unit, they wouldn’t be allowed to repopulate the farm for six months.”
He stressed that a key concern is the risk of disease spread from feral pigs – which are on the rise in Scotland. “Although ASF poses no risk to human health, we’re concerned these feral pigs will come into contact with infected meat from the EU and then spread it to commercial farms here in the UK,” he added.
The workshops follow the success of similar events held across England in conjunction with AHDB and the NPA. After successful pilots in October 2024 and January 2025, a further 12 workshops took place across England between June 2025 and January 2026, involving nine veterinary practices, with more than 140 producers and field staff attending.
Livetec biosecurity adviser, Amy Davies, said: “ASF remains one of the most significant threats facing the pig sector, and these events aim to help Scottish producers feel informed, confident and prepared to reduce the risk of an outbreak on their farms – and best deal with one if it does happen.
“Even if a farmer’s herd isn’t directly infected, being in an ASF restriction zone could result in a minimum of 40 days without pig movements. This is why it’s important to understand what ASF on your farm, or nearby, would mean in practice and why it’s worthwhile having robust contingency plans in place.”