ROME -- In order to save San Daniele prosciutto ham, orders have been imposed to limit the number of wild boar, potential carriers of swine fever, the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia regional government said. It has been predicted that there is a necessary cull of 4,000 boar by the end of the year, with plans involving military assistance if necessary.

 Wild boars carrying African swine fever have been detected in half of Italy's regions, although no cases have been detected so far in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia.

 The regional director of prevention, food safety, and public health Manlio Palei stressed the gravity of the situation, explaining, “If African swine fever enters our farms, we will be forced to close the meat trade and therefore the San Daniele prosciutto for a year. In this case, exports to third countries would be blocked.”

 “We will only do this if the hunters are not able to cooperate, but we have already begun training the military to enable them to act safely.”

 Whilst the Friuli Venezia region is currently free from the disease, the European Union and Italian Ministry for Health have called for an urgent action plan to be prepared and carried out within the next three years.  This plan, presented to the council by Stefano Zannier, the region's assesor for agriculture and forest resource, involves the reduction in the population of wild boar alongside passive surveillance, which would locate the possible presence of the disease. 

 Three areas have been identified in which the number of wild boar will be reduced, with these three areas split into zones: yellow, red, and blue. The yellow zone, which spans 39 municipalities from Trasaghis to Gemona to Spilimbergo, will see a removal of 930 animals. 

 The red zone, consists of 34 towns including Pordenone, Fiume Veneto, and San Vito al Tagliamento is home to a significant pig farming industry with over 2000 animals. 500 boars are expected to be removed from this area.  

 Finally, the blue zone, the largest area covering 43 municipalities, extends from the Natisone Valley to Basovizza. There, an additional 2500 wild boars are to be culled.

 Despite the perceived necessity of these measures, the plan has faced criticism. Rosaria Capozzi, regional councillor of the 5 Star Movement, the regional coordinator, Elena Danielis, and the provincial coordinator of Gorizia, Ilaria Dal Zovo, have condemned the plan defining it as a “death sentence of the wild boar in our area.” 

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