According to the ministry, the permanent fence will stretch approximately 60 kilometers and is being built in two parallel sections along the administrative border between Hesse and NRW. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.
The fence aims to prevent the migration of wild boars, which are the primary carriers of the ASF virus. It will serve as a long-term biosecurity barrier, reducing the risk of the disease spreading into central and northern parts of Hesse.
The decision to construct the barrier follows the ASF outbreak in NRW, where the first case among wild boars was confirmed on June 14, 2025. Since then, 175 ASF-positive cases have been recorded, with the most recent detections occurring only 15 kilometers from the Hessian border.
In response, Hesse has launched mass carcass testing of wild animals in border regions and set up a temporary electric fence to prevent the movement of infected boars. The new permanent barrier will complement these efforts, creating a double layer of protection.
According to HMLU, the existing electric fence will remain in place for now to strengthen biosecurity. The permanent fence will also include a sufficient number of gates and passages for agricultural machinery, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Officials emphasized that this infrastructure is part of a comprehensive biosecurity strategy to protect Germany’s pig industry from ASF — a disease that continues to pose one of the greatest threats to the European livestock sector.
Although African swine fever does not affect humans, it is highly lethal to pigs and causes major economic losses due to mass culling, export restrictions, and disinfection costs.
Hesse has become one of the first German states to invest in permanent infrastructure measures to safeguard livestock, while other regions still rely mainly on temporary fencing and surveillance systems.
PigUA.info based on materials from pig333.com