France to ban U.S., Canadian, Mexican, Japanese pigs

France will ban imports of live pigs, pig byproducts and pig sperm from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Japan to combat a virus that has killed millions of piglets in North America and Asia, a farm ministry official said.

The ban, due to be published on Saturday, aims to protect France from Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv), which has killed around 7 million young pigs since first being identified in the United States almost a year ago.

...France’s ban did not include pork meat and other products for human consumption, because the disease is not dangerous to humans...

Canada’s live hog exports to Europe are small in number, and generally for breeding stock.

This has been excerpted from 2 May 2014 article by the Globe and Mail and is available in its entirety at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/european-business/france-to-ban-pigs-products-from-canada-others-to-fight-against-virus/article18386320/