A series of AHDB workshops on the UK’s preparedness for African swine fever (ASF) has highlighted the importance of cross-industry partnership and robust, coordinated communications to ensure controls are applied effectively.
AHDB convened four workshops in March 2026, bringing together stakeholders from across the pork supply chain. Each workshop focused on a different stage of an ASF outbreak:
- ASF prevention, semen supply and rare breed conservation.
- Managing pigs on farm during an ASF outbreak.
- Managing processing during an ASF outbreak.
- Returning to trade following an ASF outbreak.
The objective was to identify remaining risks, explore practical solutions and consider where responsibility for further work should sit.
A report outlining the key findings stressed that ASF poses ‘a significant and ongoing threat’ to the British pork sector, with potentially severe animal welfare, economic and reputational consequences.
The workshops demonstrated strong engagement and collective commitment to preparedness, but also highlighted significant risks that remain that could affect the speed and effectiveness of the response to an outbreak. These risks span the entire supply chain.
Several overarching themes emerged across all the workshops, including a a clear message that effective ASF preparedness relies on industry and government working together.
The need for robust, coordinated communications for industry, workers and the public, and a desire for clear, consistent and accessible guidance was also highlighted.
“Participants highlighted that delays, uncertainty or inconsistent application of controls during an outbreak could exacerbate confusion, disruption and welfare impacts, as well as undermine domestic and international confidence,” the report said.
Numerous high‑risk areas were identified. These included illegal imports, management of feral wild boar, limited engagement with small-scale and harder-to-reach pig keepers, gaps in training and veterinary capacity and constraints in haulage and processing.
The workshops also highlighted that the management of tracings, visitor records and data flow between organisations could slow decision‑making during an outbreak.
“The importance of supporting the industry’s wellbeing, including mental health and financial resilience, was strongly recognised,” the report said.
The workshops put the spotlight on areas where no clear solutions currently exist, or where feasibility and acceptability remain uncertain.
These include surveillance capacity where multiple disease outbreaks occur simultaneously, consumer and retailer acceptance of treated products, and the impact of ASF in feral wild boar on recovery timelines. These unresolved issues require further discussion, modelling and simulation.
Shared responsibility
“While AHDB convened and facilitated the workshops, the outcomes make clear that responsibility for ASF preparedness is shared,” the report said. “Many of the identified actions sit across multiple organisations and will require sustained collaboration between industry and government.”
Work is already under way on several of the priorities, including a new ASF economic impact assessment and communications activity aimed at small-scale and rare-breed pig keepers. A pre-designation workshop for processors has also taken place.
Partners will be brought back together next spring to review progress, share learning and continue strengthening the sector’s resilience.
“Maintaining momentum before an outbreak occurs will be critical to reducing avoidable welfare harm, economic loss and reputational damage, and to supporting a faster, more resilient recovery should ASF reach Great Britain,” the report said.