African swine fever is rampant: epidemic for Bavarian organic farmers "life threatening"

The number of swine fever cases in Germany is increasing and the restricted areas are getting closer and closer to Bavaria.

Organic pig farmers are therefore concerned.

Munich / Kallmünz - For months, Hubert Heigl's pigsty has been like a high-security wing.

Straw and feed storage on the organic farm in Kallmünz near Regensburg * are fenced in, as is the area where his 90 mother sows run out, reports Heigl.

Between the fence and the open space of the animals there is a security gate several meters wide - so that none of his pigs could come into contact with a passing wild boar.

The whole family takes meticulous care to ensure that no one enters this safety area with street shoes.

“They move very hard, every day,” says Heigl.

African swine fever is spreading in Germany

The reason for all of this: African swine fever, or ASF for short, which has been rampant in Brandenburg and Saxony for over a year and has now moved up to 150 kilometers from the Bavarian border.

The farmers fear the epidemic, even if it is harmless to humans.

But for her animals it usually means death.

And the ASP spoils the export trade of conventional pig farmers in particular.

But also for organic farmers like Hubert Heigl, who are actually not dependent on large buyers from China, the epidemic can threaten their very existence.

(By the way: Our Bavaria newsletter informs you about all the important stories from the Free State. Register here.)

Bavarian organic farmers: Fear of compulsory stable for all pigs

"The worst thing for us would be a general obligation to stables," says Heigl, who is also chairman of the Association for Organic Agriculture in Bavaria.

The great fear of organic pig farmers is that the authorities could order all pigs to be stabled in a proven ASF case.

“I like to go through my herd with the vet every week.

I make everything possible.

But I can't stand up, ”says Heigl simply.

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Farmer Hubert Heigl

© private

For reasons of animal welfare, its outdoor climate stable is divided into different areas: indoor lounging area, covered and uncovered exercise area.

There's water outside, but it stays dry inside.

"I would have to rebuild the entire barn and it would be much too narrow for the animals." Since the pigs are the main income of the family, "an obligation to stablish would quickly come into existence".

African swine fever in Germany: more than 2500 cases

There are now more than 2500 ASF cases in Germany. Bavaria is watching this development with concern, most recently Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber (FW) further tightened the precautionary measures, a dog squadron and drones from the Free State are supporting the affected federal states in the search for further cases. But there is no clear answer from the ministry to the question of whether there is a risk of compulsory stable in an emergency.

The definition of "large-scale measures" is based on the recommendations of an expert group that includes not only animal disease experts but also experts in agriculture and forestry, hunting and wildlife biology, ”says Glauber's house.

In addition, the State Office for Public Health is currently investigating under which conditions in Bavaria “future-proof pig farms with exercise can remain possible even in the event of an ASF outbreak”.

For Heigl this means: The sword of Damocles of the stable obligation still hangs over his business.

Industry, but also farmers, demand stable stalls

The call for compulsory stable stalls comes from industry, but also from farmers. The Federal Association of Cattle and Pigs, for example, spoke out in favor of achieving “consistent protection” of the domestic pig population. Heigl is aware of the catastrophic situation of many conventional pig farmers. But he also says that it cannot be that a form of husbandry demanded by society is sacrificed at the first headwind in order to secure exports. He is of the opinion: "We have to learn to live with the ASF." The research for a vaccine from the USA is promising. "That would be the ideal solution."

Until then, Heigl and his professional colleagues will still have a few worries.

"There are phases in which you sleep worse," he says about the day he heard about the case in Meißen, Saxony, 150 kilometers from the Bavarian border.

“But it doesn't help to go to the barn

.”