The Department of Agriculture (DA) remains on top of the situation following initial reports of an increase in the deaths of hogs in backyard farms.
To ensure food safety and security, Agriculture Secretary William Dar issued DA Administrative Order No. 4 on August 22, 2019 directing all Provincial and Municipality/City Veterinary and Agricultural Offices throughout the country to strictly enforce food safety measures and observe quarantine procedures.
“Everything’s under control and we will keep it that way,” Sec. Dar assured the public.
As part of the quarantine procedures, DA prohibits the transportation of live animals, meat products, and by-products unless accompanied by a required Veterinary Health Certificate from a licensed veterinarian and a relevant shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI).
Checkpoints have been ordered to be established in all entry and exit points of all provinces.
The AO also directs all veterinary and agricultural officers to immediately report to the BAI any unusual increase of cases in swine mortality, as well as if deemed necessary to educate swine farmers in carrying out Good Animal Husbandry Practices and observing biosecurity measures. These include the putting up of footbaths, regular disinfection of farms, vaccination, and deworming.
Lastly, feeding of food wastes or swill is now discouraged. The food wastes could be sources of undetected disease-causing microorganisms.
In particular, to ensure food safety, animals brought to slaughterhouses will be checked by BAI personnel for fever and other signs of any disease. All animals diagnosed with the disease will be immediately condemned and disposed of by BAI following standard procedures.
As a guarantee of quality to the public, all meat and meat products must be accompanied by a meat inspection certificate (MIC) from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) or the local government unit. These certificates must be displayed in the stalls of meat vendors. Meat and meat products that are NOT accompanied by MIC will be considered as “hot meat” and will be confiscated, condemned, and properly disposed of by BAI.
The AO also directs the continuous and strict monitoring by BAI personnel of NMIS Accredited Cold Storage Warehouses, all NMIS slaughterhouses, and all locally-registered meat establishments.
A “No Veterinary Health Certificate No Slaughter Policy” is now imposed, in addition to the ON-HOLD STATUS for all animals suspected of disease, throughout the country. (DA Communications Group)
