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Overijssel pig farmers fear that African swine fever will enter our province. Literally, because the spread of this virus goes through the wild boar. This is why there are broader measures to manage the number of boars.
These plans were announced last week by the Minister of Agriculture, Carola Schouten. Now MP Hester Maij has also promised more opportunities to hunters in Overijssel.
Risk of contamination
The wild boar is becoming more and more common in the Overijssel nature reserves, which is a problem, particularly in the agricultural sector. Varkensboer Gerrit Dekker of Almelo has his breeding near the nature reserve Engbertsdijksvenen
. He has more than a thousand sows and sells five hundred piglets every week. An outbreak of African swine fever would have disastrous consequences for him.
Summary of Measures
The sector is of great financial importance to the province of Overijssel and that is why the provincial executive, Hester Maij, announced this week additional measures to prevent an epidemic of African flu. Prevention of swine fever in the Netherlands
Signs tell people of different languages that they are not allowed to throw waste into the wild. The disease is so contagious that an epidemic could occur via contaminated waste.
In addition, hunters are allowed to do more than normal. For example, they can now also hunt at night, use night vision and the controversial pressure hunt is temporarily allowed.
According to Bjorn van der Veen of the Royal Hunters Association, these measures in the province are necessary to exclude as much as possible contamination of boars from pigs.
Panic Football
Ranger André Donker of Natuurmonumenten tries to preserve peace. It ensures that measures are taken in panic. "I understand that there is stress in the sector, but that does not mean you have to apply panic football."
To properly inform the public, he finds a better strategy. The transfer of African swine fever from wild boar to pig is only one way of spreading the disease.
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