New campaign at Chile’s International Airport to prevent the entry of diseases such as ASF

The initiative, led by Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) with the support of ChileCarne, shows ads on digital screens installed in strategic areas of the airport during the summer months for passengers to become aware of not entering with animal or vegetable products that may damage Chile’s plant and animal health asset.   

On December 1, a campaign was launched for the third time to prevent the entry of exotic diseases from different animal species, including African Swine Fever (ASF) into Chile, which is part of the coordinated strategy of the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and ChileCarne to prevent the entry of uncontrolled meat-based products. The campaign, which will extend throughout the summer, includes preventive ads in various areas of Santiago’s Nuevo Pudahuel international airport to catch the attention of passengers who go through the international arrivals area.

“Although we know that ASF only affects pigs and in no case the health of people or other animals, it does have a significant impact on a country’s pig production, causing considerable losses. As an industry that produces and exports pork, we are committed to protecting Chile’s plant and animal health asset, which is why on top of the measures in our production plants, we always support the relevant efforts of the public sector, like this campaign at Santiago’s international airport. In this context, any efforts we can make as a country to prevent the entry of this disease is a success,” said ChileCarne’s President, Juan Carlos Dominguez.

As soon as the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAh) reported the ASF outbreak detected in northeast China in August 2018, Chile organized a public-private effort led by SAG, and in collaboration with the Meat Exporters’ Association, ChileCarne, and the Pork Producers Trade Association, ASPROCER, involving the entire national pork industry.