ABPA urges biosecurity vigilance during holiday travel
New video targets risks as workers return to poultry, hog farms
29 December 2025
1 minute read
By: The Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) has launched a biosecurity awareness campaign aimed at poultry and pig producers during the year-end holiday period, when travel, family visits and increased movement of people raise disease risks on farms, according to a market report from ABPA.
The campaign, released Dec. 22, focuses on reinforcing biosecurity measures as producers and employees return to rural properties following vacations and trips. It is presented by ABPA president Ricardo Santin and highlights heightened risks linked to avian influenza and African swine fever, diseases that are not present in Brazil but have had major impacts in other producing countries.
According to ABPA, the video draws attention to often underestimated risk factors during the holiday season, including clothing, footwear, luggage, vehicles and food brought back from travel, all of which can carry infectious agents.
The warning is particularly critical for African swine fever, as pork products brought from abroad, even in small quantities, can contain the virus and potentially introduce the disease if discarded improperly.
In the video, Santin outlines a series of precautions to be taken before returning to poultry or pig farms. These include changing all clothing and footwear used outside the property, thorough vehicle cleaning including tires and floor mats, mandatory use of sanitary barriers such as footbaths and hand washing, observing sanitary downtime after travel or external visits, banning food brought from abroad especially pork products, and reducing contact with wild animals while reinforcing farm perimeter protections.
“The end of the year period is naturally marked by displacements and reunions. But, for those who produce, every return to the farm requires discipline. A simple care can be decisive to keep the property safe and protect the entire production chain. Rest is necessary, but responsibility remains. Prevention is in the hands of those who produce, especially in moments of greater circulation of people,” Santin said.
