The Government of Spain urges to reinforce biosecurity in agricultural holdings against avian flu and swine fever

The article highlights the concern of the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, over the spread of animal diseases such as avian flu and African swine fever in the country. Spain has seen 32 outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of avian flu in poultry and 56 cases in wild birds this year, leading to the culling of thousands of birds. To prevent further spread, Planas stresses the need for increased biosecurity and isolation measures on poultry farms.

The minister is also wary of the spread of African swine fever, an disease that has already led to the restriction of areas in several European countries. Given Spain's position as the first European producer of pork, Planas calls for vigilance and extreme biosecurity measures to prevent the disease from entering the country. He also emphasizes the need for a potential vaccine for bird flu and restrictions on the transport of animals and food from countries with African swine fever to prevent the spread of these diseases.