Poland has recorded its second outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) on a farm this year, once again confirming the threat hanging over the pig farming industry. The new outbreak was detected on a farm in the Lublin Province, in the Bialski County. This is the first case of ASF in this region in 2025.

Taiwan is aiming to expand its pork export markets by targeting Japan for fresh pork and the United States for processed pork products, following its recognition as the only country in Asia free from African Swine Fever (ASF), Classical Swine Fever (CSF), and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), according to an agricultural official.

Meat processing giant Pilgrim’s Europe has unveiled a bold new initiative aimed at reshaping the future of British pig farming: 20-year contracts for UK pig producers. This unprecedented move is designed to foster a sustainable, profitable future for the sector — benefiting farmers, processors, and consumers alike.

According to data published today by Eurostat, the European Union recorded a further decline in its livestock populations in 2024. All major categories—pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats—saw reductions compared to the previous year, continuing a downward trend observed over the past decade.

The pork markets of the United States, Canada, and Mexico—closely linked by trade in both meat and live animals—are currently experiencing firm prices heading into summer. This is driven by rising wholesale prices, strong domestic and export demand, and tightening supply across the region. Additionally, a tight beef market is supporting the pork sector and other protein alternatives.

Poland has reported its first African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak of 2025 in domestic pigs. The case was confirmed on June 20 on a farm housing 1,311 pigs near the town of Luzino in the Pomerania province, about 50 km northwest of the port city of Gdańsk.

The continued spread of African swine fever (ASF) remains a global concern for the pig industry, with no region spared. For years, the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment has made disease control exceptionally challenging. However, recent developments in vaccine research — including the approval and testing of modified live vaccines in some countries — have raised hopes for new tools to help contain the ASF epidemic.

The UK Government has announced a record £1 billion investment to establish a new national biosecurity centre aimed at tackling future pandemics and major animal disease outbreaks such as African swine fever (ASF), foot-and-mouth disease, and avian influenza.

The Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) has determined the origin of the African swine fever (ASF) virus detected in a wild boar in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). According to the results of virological analysis, the genome of the new ASF variant differs significantly from all previously identified virus strains in Germany.

Despite the availability of registered vaccines against African swine fever (ASF) in Vietnam, most local producers are in no hurry to vaccinate their animals. There are several reasons for this: distrust of the vaccines' effectiveness, lack of clear vaccination protocols, lack of information about virus strains in the regions and, last but not least, lack of a compensation system in case of losses.

China continues to be a key market for pork exporters from both the United States and Canada. However, the trade relationships with each country are developing very differently.

After a dramatic fall last year, prices for slaughter pigs have recovered, but the number of operators in the industry continues to decline. The uncertainty and risks of wartime are taking their toll, exacerbating economic challenges, epizootic risks and reinforcing a number of other barriers to the development of pig farming.

China is stepping up efforts to curb the speculative practice of “refattening” pigs, where small farmers purchase market-ready pigs from large producers and fatten them for a few extra months in the hopes of higher pork prices. The government aims to stabilize the market and reduce excessive feed consumption amid weak demand and ongoing efforts to cut reliance on imported grains.

In the second round of the pig farm buyout scheme, 210 companies agreed to shut down operations and demolish their barns in exchange for compensation. This adds to the 156 farmers who opted in during the first round. Notably, 60% of second-round participants—127 farms—are located in West Flanders, a region with fewer nitrogen-sensitive areas but the highest concentration of pig farms.

The second decade of June ends with stable purchase prices for live pigs, according to analysts at the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, citing the results of weekly monitoring of purchase prices.

Hungarian authorities have officially announced that the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been successfully contained, and all related restrictions have been lifted both domestically and by the European Union.

China has officially approved 106 new U.S. meat processing facilities to export eligible pork and poultry products produced on or after June 12, according to a notice published on the website of the Chinese Customs Administration.