"This project is not limited to training in responding to suspected dangerous infectious diseases, but aims to ensure Ukraine's integration into the European regulatory framework. To this end, experts of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (USDA) have developed a standard operating procedure (SOP) to help laboratory staff of agri-food markets to respond correctly and promptly when live animals or livestock products are suspected to be infected. The simulations conducted at agri-food markets in 5 oblasts are intended to test how the algorithms prescribed in the SOP are implemented in practice and, accordingly, to improve the documents. The trainings continue, simulations are planned in two more regions of Ukraine," the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders commented.
"The purpose of the SOP is to do everything possible to stop the spread of diseases among live animals and livestock products. Without the SOP, we will not move to the next stage, when we will be able to prove to the European Commission that timely reports of animal diseases in Ukraine are detected and that this procedure has a clearly understood algorithm and is 100% implemented," commented the project's technical experts.
The Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders is a non-profit, voluntary organization founded by Ukrainian pork producers. The main purposes of the association are representation and protection of rights and interests of farms of the association, assistance in development and introduction of new technologies for efficient production of pork, expansion of sales markets, and protection of domestic sales market.
