No ban on backyard pig breeding, yet farmers required to adhere to minimum set of biosecurity rules

Backyard pig breeding will not be banned, but farmers will be required to adhere to a minimum set of biosecurity rules, president of the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) Robert Chioveanu told AGERPRES on Monday.

"Our goal in relation to the order put up for public debate is to find the best solution for farmers, households and the commercial pig farms in order to minimize all costs related to the spread of the African swine fever, which up until now has cost us more than 100 million euros - compensations included - not to mention the collateral damage to the industry. We won't prohibit backyard pig farming, but the farmers who will raise pigs in their households will have to observe certain biosecurity rules. Backyard pig breeding and slaughtering for their own consumption will go on, we don't want to harm the tradition," he said.

Chioveanu explained that although ANSVSA mainly seeks to impose biosecurity rules for all types of pig farming, the small-scale breeders who plan to raise more than five animals will have to seek authorization as A-type commercial holdings and comply with specific biosecurity regulations. AGERPRES