BioSec Bob here on Saturday, August 29, 2026 — let’s get straight to the swine side first.
A new study from National Hog Farmer is raising fresh concerns about dead box management on farms. Researchers found that the way producers handle mortality — specifically in dead boxes — creates meaningful biosecurity gaps that can spread pathogens between groups and across facilities. The study looked at common practices and found that many operations aren’t treating dead box areas with the same rigor they apply to barn entry points or feed systems. It’s a reminder that every access point to your operation, including how you manage and dispose of mortalities, deserves a hard look.
On the international disease front, African swine fever has shown up in two towns in Catanduanes in the Philippines, according to Inquirer.net. This marks a significant spread of the virus in that region and puts additional pressure on producers across Southeast Asia who’ve been working to keep ASF contained.
Over in Europe, Finland’s situation continues to deteriorate. According to 3tres3, the country has now confirmed 35 cases of ASF in wild boar populations. At the same time, Finland is widening its restricted zones as the virus spreads westward, which means more territory is under movement controls and enhanced surveillance protocols. The expanding containment zone reflects how quickly the virus can move through wildlife populations once it gains a foothold.
Elsewhere in Europe, there’s some positive movement. Croatia is easing African swine fever restrictions after seeing improvement in its outbreak situation, Peoples Gazette Nigeria is reporting. That said, the country remains cautious — the restrictions are being relaxed, not lifted entirely, as officials monitor whether the downward trend holds.
In Italy, the ASF picture in wild boar remains troubling. Foodagribusiness.world is reporting that wild boar outbreaks have now spread into Tuscany, expanding the geographic footprint of the virus on the peninsula. That broadens the risk zone for any Italian operations working near wildlife corridors or areas where boar populations overlap with commercial farms.
Keep those biosecurity protocols sharp — there’s a lot of movement on disease right now.