The spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) is placing Italy's livestock sector under severe pressure, now threatening one of the country's most valuable historic pig breeds. According to claims from 15 industry associations and the Cinta Senese PDO Consortium, almost 10% of the Cinta Senese pig population has been culled in just a few weeks. Faced with such harsh measures, the organizations have written to Giovanni Filippini, Special Commissioner for ASF, demanding an immediate meeting to discuss options for curbing the outbreak.
The fundamental fear is that an unchecked culling policy could have irreversible consequences for the breed's survival and the area's ecology. The petition has been signed by several notable agricultural and environmental organizations, including Slow Food Italy, Legambiente, FederBio, Aiab, AssoBio, Unione Coltivatori Italiani, and Veterinari Senza Frontiere. The associations are calling for an open discussion to identify alternative or integrated solutions to stop the virus from spreading without destroying an internationally recognized example of livestock excellence, the loss of which would cause irreparable harm to the local economy and the country's agri-food history.