Italy recently breathed a sigh of relief as restrictions linked to African swine fever (ASF) were eased in Lombardy and Piedmont. The latest bulletin from the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d’Aosta revealed no new critical cases. However, the situation in the Balkans is forcing Italian farmers and authorities to remain on high alert. New outbreaks in Croatia and Slovenia create additional risks for Italy, given the geographic proximity of these countries.

On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met to stress the importance of strategic cooperation between the world’s second- and third-largest economies. The main objective was to ease trade tensions that have been intensifying under U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

Agribusiness analysts at Rabobank have announced that China’s pig industry has entered a new stage of development. Instead of the rapid expansion that characterized previous years, the current focus is shifting toward improving production efficiency.

African swine fever (ASF) continues to escalate challenges in European pig farming. Over the past week alone, six Central and Eastern European countries have confirmed new cases of the disease in domestic pigs, while the scale of its spread among wild populations remains alarming. Although the number of new outbreaks on farms is still relatively small, the overall trend points to a serious threat for the industry.

The European Commission has welcomed the support of EU Member States for the introduction of RENURE (REcovered Nitrogen from manURE) – fertilisers made from processed manure. The decision was adopted at a meeting of the Nitrates Committee, marking an important step towards the sustainable development of agriculture.

Estonian company Maag Agro has announced collective layoffs following an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) at one of the country’s largest pig farms, Ekseko. Due to the eradication measures, 44 employees — about a quarter of the company’s pig-farming workforce — will be laid off.

Croatia is facing a deepening crisis with African swine fever (ASF), as authorities confirmed new outbreaks on large farms in Slavonia. According to Index, nearly 12,000 pigs in Sokolovac and Nemetin will be culled in the coming days. Security measures are being tightened: farms with more than 1,000 animals in two counties of the region — which account for two-thirds of Croatia’s pig population — will now be under round-the-clock surveillance by police, security forces, and the army.

The European pig industry is facing the threat of severe financial losses following China’s decision to impose high anti-dumping duties on pork imports from the EU. Belgium and France are among the hardest hit, while the European Parliament is demanding decisive action from the European Commission.

The African Swine Fever (ASF) situation in Germany continues to escalate. According to the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), as of September, 165 cases of ASF in wild boar have been confirmed in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The spread of the virus, however, remains localized in just two districts — Olpe (78 cases) and Siegen-Wittgenstein (87 cases). All infected animals have been found within a fenced and closely monitored restricted zone.

France is bracing for a new wave of protests as the country’s largest farming union, FNSEA, announced a nationwide day of action on September 26 to oppose the planned EU-Mercosur free trade deal with South American countries, as well as tariffs imposed by the United States. The news was reported by Reuters, citing FNSEA president Arnaud Rousseau in an interview with Le Journal du Dimanche.

On September 10, 2020, African swine fever (ASF) was confirmed in Germany for the first time. The virus was detected in a wild boar near Schenkendöbern, close to the Polish border. Since then, five years have passed, and the country has moved from a sharp increase in cases to gradual stabilization in several regions.

U.S. pork exports in July 2025 were slightly below last year’s level but accounted for a larger share of total production. According to industry statistics, shipments totaled 238.9 thousand metric tons, down 1% from July 2024. In value, exports reached $680.9 million, 4% lower year-over-year, largely due to falling variety meat prices caused by Chinese tariffs.

Denmark’s pig industry continues to prove itself as one of the most efficient in the world. According to consultancy firm Velas, data from the second quarter of 2025 shows that the country’s leading farms confidently surpass the benchmark of 40 piglets weaned per sow per year.

Estonian pork producers say they will not abandon their work, even in the face of the most devastating African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak in a decade, which has already led to the culling of over 55,000 pigs — nearly one-fifth of the country’s domestic herd.

Beijing has begun reviewing the first revision in more than 20 years of its foreign trade law, aimed at providing a stronger legal basis for countermeasures in trade conflicts.

In the first half of 2025, Germany managed to slightly expand its total pork exports, despite serious challenges caused by a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak earlier in the year. Growth was made possible thanks to stable demand from European Union countries, which helped offset a sharp decline in sales to markets outside the bloc.

China on Friday announced the introduction of preliminary anti-dumping duties on pork imports from the European Union worth more than $2 billion. The tariffs will reach up to 62.4%, Reuters reported. The move deepens a trade dispute between Beijing and Brussels, which erupted after the EU imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.