The Agriculture Ministry has partnered with the US Department of Agriculture and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture to conduct visits to pig farms across the country.

This, it adds, is to collect samples as part of its African Swine Fever preparedness and surveillance plan.

The Ministry says with ASF threatening swine industries in the Caribbean, the visits aim to detect any early signs of the disease, which could have severe implications for food security and local livelihoods.

It adds that the Veterinarians and Animal health staff of its Animal Production and Health Division will not only conduct surveillance activities across various local farms this week, but will also continue their surveillance efforts for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome or PRRS.