The Australian pork industry is at breaking point. It impatiently looks forward to a vaccine against the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), which has wrecked pig farmers since its emergence three years back. Laurie Brosnan’s Betta Pork operation in Biloela was just the latest to find the virus. This discovery raised concerns about its impacts on the reproductive health of sows. This $6 billion industry has lost nine lives to JEV since 2021. Just this year, two died in Queensland.
Chris Richards, a central player in the development of the new vaccine, made the announcement in a recent U.S. And the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has told us that the usual time to assess an emergency use permit is up to 13 months. This lengthy timeline is maddening to many industry stakeholders who want nothing more than to see a permanent solution to help end this unprecedented pandemic.
Industry Impacts and Concerns
For the Australian pork industry, JEV had been an emerging issue of high priority which had caused major reproductive losses in sows. Margo Andrea emphasized the virus’s devastating effects, stating, “The previous outbreak in 2022 cost the industry millions of dollars and significantly impacted operations for piggeries across four states.” She noted that “three years later, JEV continues to contribute to losses for producers and their communities.”
Agricultural Undersecretary M. Laurie Brosnan wasn’t happy about the plodding pace toward a vaccine approval. He remarked, “I can’t help but feel that the pig industry is not front of mind.” Brosnan has taken proactive steps to curb the problem at his facility. He went above and beyond, hiring an independent contractor to spray open waterways and puddles, addressing JEV, despite the fact this was a significant spend.
Richards’ statements about the possible imminent availability of a Covid vaccination highlights how urgent this situation truly is. “If we got an emergency use permit today, we’d be able to vaccinate most of those sows that are in the affected areas in the next two weeks,” he stated. This step would give our communities the buffer we so desperately need against the ongoing spread of the virus.
Vaccine Development Efforts
As we understand the situation, the APVMA is currently evaluating two applications for emergency-use permits for JEV vaccines. Richards has suggested that he already has 100,000 doses of a safe, effective vaccine on hand and ready to be sent out. Moreover, Apiam Animal Health publicly announced that it is able to carry out vaccinations of 50,000 sows within 2 weeks from obtaining emergency approval.
Even with such preparations, the timeline for the vaccine’s approval is still a worrisome cockroach on this buffet of moon pies. Brosnan voiced his frustrations about the situation: “I still feel that the government isn’t prioritising or even giving the pig industry a fair go.” He noted the political climate and how it may affect decision-making: “I understand we’re in election time, and politicians make promises as they do.”
Chris Richards echoed similar sentiments regarding government inaction: “The government is not serious at all about trying to reduce this disease in the pig industry and nor are they obviously concerned about the deaths of people that are occurring in our community as a result of this virus.”
The Road Ahead
So while the industry must wait for the availability of a vaccine, stakeholders are staying vigilant and proactive in addressing JEV’s threat. Laurie Brosnan emphasized the importance of following industry best practices to safeguard his piggery, saying, “It’s just unfortunate that there’s only so much you can do.” He and others in the industry have kept up the pressure to create these so-called “expedited” approval processes.
Even as Jody Peters shares her frustration with the slow pace of approvals, she can’t hide her optimism about what’s coming. “I am incredibly frustrated, as are pig farmers, with how long it is taking to get these approvals across the line,” she stated. She added, “I do believe that we will have a vaccine on the market in the future.”
