New Economic Study: African Swine Fever Outbreak in the US Could Cost $50 Billion

An outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) would be significant for agriculture and the US economy. A new study shows the impact of shutting down pork export markets will cost $50 billion.

An economic study, conducted by a team of agricultural economists at Iowa State University and the Universidad de la Republica in Uruguay, estimated the economic impact of a hypothetical ASF outbreak by examining the elimination of pork export markets. The study findings highlight the impacts to revenue, employment and pork industry downsizing and emphasize the importance of protecting US herds from ASF. On-farm biosecurity practices and the ability to track pig movement will be critical to stopping virus spread and reassuring our export partners that the ASF has been cleared.