According to ANSA Deputy Director General Alexandru Manciu, the agency’s directive establishes rules for inspecting farms, animal identification procedures, minimum biosecurity requirements, and protocols for responding to suspected cases of disease, Agroexpert reports.
The document establishes a mechanism through which ANSA’s regional veterinary authorities must strengthen oversight of pig farms. The focus will be on non-professional farms in the “individual sector,” where compliance with and enforcement of biosafety rules may be more challenging than on large commercial farms. Submission of relevant reports is scheduled to begin on September 5 of this year.
What will ANSAinspectors check ?
During inspections, the agency’s veterinarians will check two main points: whether pigs are identified and registered in accordance with current regulations, and whether farms meet minimum biosecurity requirements.
If undeclared pigs are found, local authorities are required to take measures to immediately register them in the State Animal Registry.
In cases where the owner refuses access to the farm or refuses to sign the inspection report, ANSA staff are required to notify the head of the agency’s regional office. As a result, sanctions may be imposed on individuals who refuse to cooperate with ANSA veterinarians.
What biosecurity rules must pig farmers follow?
The order also includes a standard inspection report for households raising pigs, along with a list of rules. These include: having a veterinary health record for productive livestock, keeping pigs in designated areas, and preventing their contact with other domestic animals or wild boars.
The availability and use of protective clothing for persons caring for pigs will also be checked. Upon entering the pen, facilities for personal hygiene and disinfection of workers’ footwear must be provided.
The document contains rules for feeding pigs. The use of fresh grass and freshly harvested grains as feed is prohibited, as is the use of household food waste containing pork residues. Additionally, pigs must not come into contact with “byproducts of wild boar hunting.” Persons who have participated in hunting or handling game are prohibited from coming into contact with domestic pigs for at least 48 hours.
The slaughter of pigs must be carried out only under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Animal inspections and laboratory tests
In addition to inspecting housing conditions on farms, the ANSA order requires an assessment of the pigs’ health status. In certain situations where direct inspection may pose additional risks, a preliminary assessment may be conducted remotely. The document permits real-time visual inspection of animals using farmers’ personal devices or even drones.
If an infectious disease is suspected in pigs, a veterinarian or veterinary technician must ensure that the necessary samples for laboratory testing are collected immediately. Samples must be sent to the National Center for Animal, Plant, and Food Safety as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after the onset of suspected infection in pigs.
In the event of new outbreaks of African swine fever, a census of households and pig farms in the protection zone must be conducted. At the same time, the collection of 59 samples for testing is required.
Until the results of laboratory tests are received, the household owner must be notified in writing of the prohibition on the movement of pigs, pig products, feed, equipment, vehicles, waste, or other materials that may pose an epidemiological risk.
Measures to Protect Game Reserves
The decree also provides for measures regarding hunting grounds, taking into account the risk associated with the migration of wild boars. Before the start of the hunting season in the fall of 2026, ANSA’s regional offices must notify hunting reserve managers of their obligations.
In particular, hunting grounds will be required to designate special facilities for the initial processing of wild boar carcasses. These facilities must comply with sanitary and veterinary requirements, biosafety rules, requirements for the handling of by-products, and measures to prevent the spread of African swine fever. ANSA’s regional offices will assess these facilities and develop a state monitoring plan for them for the coming years.
