The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, has announced that 21 new cases of African swine fever have been detected in wild boar. One of these cases was located in Sant Just Desvern, outside the initial area of ​​Cerdanyola del Vallès. This has led to the inclusion of this municipality and Esplugues de Llobregat in the high-risk zone, which now has an expanded perimeter, as confirmed by sources from the Department of Agriculture. With these new cases, the total number of infections has risen to 216. The Department also explained that another 1,708 wild boars tested negative. At an event in Seròs, in the Segrià region, Minister Ordeig emphasized that personnel and resources continue to be deployed as part of the eradication plan in the affected area and urged "great caution." "We are continuing with the strategy of perimeter closures and increasing captures using all necessary means, including drones, snipers, traps, and so on," Ordeig pointed out, adding that some areas have been reinforced. The regional minister expressed "concern" about the impact of the disease on the sector, but also "determination and responsibility," he said, to "act quickly and decisively." He explained that all available personnel from all agencies in Catalonia have been mobilized. "I would ask, please, to let the technicians and professionals do their work," he concluded. Ordeig also called for "a united front and unity of action" among the stakeholders involved in managing the plague, such as the livestock sector, scientists, and government agencies. "We have to do it right and we have to do it quickly, but that takes time," he acknowledged, and also recalled that, of the 25 European countries that registered cases of African swine fever, the fastest to eradicate the disease was Belgium, which took "just over a year to find the last positive case."

The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, has announced that all restrictions related to contagious nodular dermatosis (CND) in Catalonia will be lifted as of this Friday, as planned. Speaking to the media at the Catalan Parliament, he explained that this lifts restrictions on 1,124 farms and 165 municipalities affected by the latest outbreak in Capmany (Alt Empordà). The measure will allow the normal resumption of animal movement throughout the region, although Ordeig reiterated that vaccination is mandatory and that the sector must maintain "enhanced vigilance." He also stated that sampling and testing will continue to detect any new outbreaks. The Minister, who emphasized that 100% of animals entering farms must be vaccinated, appealed to everyone's sense of responsibility to prevent further health problems. Regarding the economic impact, he noted that €6.3 million in compensation has already been paid to the affected farms, in addition to the ICF loans made available during the crisis. Meanwhile, the government is working with the sector on a new aid package to help farms that had to carry out sanitary culling recover their productive potential. The goal, according to the regional minister, is to ensure that "no farm" is left out of operation and to prevent the loss of productive capacity, especially in the case of dairy farms, which will need more time to recover. The Catalan Beef Cattle Breeders Association (Asoprovac Catalunya) has estimated losses caused by the restrictions due to the outbreak of contagious nodular dermatosis in Girona at €4 million, as reported in a statement this Thursday. The president of the organization, Oriol Canal, emphasized that livestock farmers "have suffered a closure of commercial channels, a loss of clients and suppliers, and have had to maintain fixed costs without income."

The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food, Òscar Ordeig, called on Thursday for innovative policies in the agri-food sector, both public and private, to ensure that food production, which has sometimes "been subordinated to other paradigms," becomes Catalonia's flagship project in the coming years. "Environmental policies have been implemented without considering agri-food policies; urban planning policies have been implemented without considering food production policies; and health policies have been implemented without considering that we have a Mediterranean diet, a UNESCO World Heritage Site," Ordeig explained on Thursday at the Pim headquarters. In addition to this need for a forward-looking vision in the sector, Ordeig also stated that it is necessary to make decisions to move forward and find a balance between "not forging ahead without thinking, and thinking without forging ahead." "We have met many times with the sector to be clear about where we needed to go, but above all we have had to make decisions, manage, manage, and manage," explained the regional minister, who cited the recent health crises that have affected the agri-food sector in Catalonia as an example.

The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, has announced that restrictions imposed on 79 Catalan municipalities due to outbreaks of contagious nodular dermatosis (CND) in France will be lifted this Friday, allowing 1,100 cattle farms in the area to resume moving their livestock. "We have a natural barrier of mountains, cold, and snow, and it was unreasonable that we should have to pay the price for the neighboring country's problems, especially given the large radius of the outbreak and the fact that all our farms are vaccinated," Ordeig stated from Lleida. The Minister explained that the decision was made after "intense and lengthy negotiations" between the European Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Catalan Department of Agriculture, "and with close collaboration from the entire sector." However, the regional minister reminded everyone that restrictions due to the dermatosis remain in place in 165 municipalities of the Alt Empordà region, where the last case was detected and where there are 1,079 farms. If all goes well and no new positive cases emerge in that area, this measure could be lifted on February 26. Meanwhile, Ordeig indicated that a solution is being negotiated with the Ministry and the European Commission to ease the movement of animals in the area. The Minister of Agriculture reiterated that the vaccination rate in the areas affected by positive cases is 99% and that a review of all animals is currently underway to ensure that none remain unvaccinated. Furthermore, Ordeig reported that it is "mandatory" for 100% of the animals to be vaccinated before January 31, and warned that "sanctioning procedures" will be initiated if this is not the case.

Catalan farmers will continue their road blockades across the country, they announced on Friday, hours after the 27 member states of the European Union approved the free trade agreement with Mercosur (the South American bloc), against which they had begun their protests in Catalonia. The farmers have accused the Catalan government of having "sold them out," while the Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, defended the trade agreement, asserting that "Catalonia is the biggest winner." "We have a 105% agri-food trade surplus, which we want to maintain and expand," Ordeig stated regarding the Catalan primary sector. In this regard, he emphasized that, in an international context where "there are countries in the world that are isolating themselves and isolating us," it is necessary to "seek new trading partners." The regional minister met this Friday in Reus with representatives of the farmers who are blocking access to the port of Tarragona and asked them to act responsibly so as not to disrupt supplies.

Around 350 tractors blocked the C-25 highway (the Eix Transversal) on Monday morning to protest the overpopulation of wildlife in Catalonia, in a demonstration organized by the main agricultural organizations in the region. The mobilization, which began at 9 a.m., brought farmers to the streets to demand, above all, "control of overpopulations of game animals"—especially wild boar, rabbits, roe deer, and red deer—and a "review" of the Livestock Health Service. The march was supported by Unió de Pagesos, Revolta Pagesa, Asaja, and the Plataforma Pagesos o Conejos (Farmers or Rabbits Platform).

The Catalan government has activated a health alert after detecting a positive case of avian flu at a chicken farm in Bellpuig, in the Urgell region of Lleida province. As explained by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food, Òscar Ordeig, at a press conference, a 10-kilometer radius restriction on animal movement has been established around the farm where the case was detected, and controls have been implemented at all farms located within this safety zone. The protocol will also involve culling all animals on the affected farm. This case of avian flu comes just weeks after the outbreak of African swine fever in the Collserola mountain range. However, the Minister sought to reassure the public: "Avian flu does not affect people through the consumption of meat and eggs." Ordeig also explained that after this outbreak was detected, the other farms initially located in the immediate vicinity of the affected farm were inspected, and so far no trace of the disease has been found. Surveillance will be reinforced within a radius of 0 to 3 kilometers from the positive case. He explained that there are no farms within a one-kilometer radius of the outbreak, which "facilitates containment" of the disease. The regional minister pointed to a wild animal as the possible origin of this avian flu outbreak, of which there are fourteen active outbreaks in Spain; no cases had been detected in Catalonia since 2023. "We don't yet know the origin; there are many wild birds, and there may have been some kind of contact, but the experts will determine that," Ordeig noted. "We will do the same as we have done in the other cases: collaborate with all the stakeholders and act quickly and in a coordinated manner," he asserted. The regional minister also explained that they will meet with representatives from the sector on Boxing Day to assess the situation. He emphasized the importance of respecting protocols and taking all established measures, as it is "a highly contagious, highly deadly disease that must be eradicated."

Initial reports from the audit at the IRTA-CReSA Animal Health Research Center, aimed at determining whether African swine fever (ASF) originated in one of its laboratories, indicate that the facilities and protocols "are in good order" and that everything functioned as it should. This was explained on Friday by the Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, following Thursday's findings. A joint operation by the Mossos d'Esquadra and the Guardia Civil will search these laboratories within the framework of the investigation to determine the origin of the infections. "Pending some additional documentation that we still need, everything indicates that the facilities are fine, the protocols are correct, and everything has been done properly, according to the experts' audit," the regional minister assured.

The Catalan government is finalizing the perimeter closure this Thursday, using "fences and other physical barriers," of a 6-kilometer radius in the Collserola area where African swine fever (ASF) was detected. This measure aims to intensify the capture and culling of wild boar, as explained by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Aquaculture. The Minister indicated that the actions will be carried out within a radius of 4 to 6 kilometers to "create a safety zone free of animals that could spread the virus to either side." This area, now closed off with physical barriers, is the closest to the origin of the ASF outbreak, which is where the first two dead wild boars infected with the virus were found. Following European, national, and Catalan health regulations regarding outbreaks of African swine fever, the Catalan government has declared two different zones affected by the epidemic: the first encompasses municipalities within a 6-kilometer radius of the initial outbreak, considered a "high-risk zone"—where physical barriers will now be erected—and the second, a "low-risk zone" extending 20 kilometers from the outbreak's origin. Currently, movement restrictions not only affect the main outbreak area within the 6-kilometer radius but also extend to a total of 91 towns in the Barcelona metropolitan area within a 20-kilometer radius of the initial outbreak, as well as nearby natural parks. The Department of Agriculture has restricted access to natural areas until December 14, but depending on how the epidemic evolves, this period could be extended starting next Monday.

The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, confirmed this Sunday that the Catalan government is controlling the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) detected in Collserola. "The main objective was to contain the outbreak and prevent it from spreading beyond the 6-kilometer radius. We have achieved this," he stated in a press conference, also emphasizing that the number of wild boars affected by the virus remains at 13. "There are no new positive cases," the minister stressed, adding that after analyzing more than one hundred wild boars, the Catalan government affirms that the main objective has been achieved: no new infections were detected this weekend. A 20-kilometer control zone, encompassing 91 municipalities, was established around Collserola, where the first cases were identified. This area is divided into a high-risk zone, with a radius of 6 kilometers (encompassing 12 municipalities), and a low-risk zone, extending up to 20 kilometers (79 municipalities). To date, all infected specimens have been found within the high-risk perimeter.

Several countries have already accepted the import of pork and pork products produced in Catalonia and throughout Spain, with the exception of products from companies located within the 20-kilometer radius considered the area affected by African swine fever (ASF), as explained this Thursday by the Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food. Specifically, countries such as the United Kingdom, Chile, and the Philippines have agreed to import Spanish pork from outside this perimeter, while China—the main market outside the European Union—accepts meat from all over Spain except for the province of Barcelona. The ban on exports to countries outside the European Union initially affected all farms in Catalonia and throughout Spain, without exception, when the epidemic was declared in Spain last week. Following the declaration, the Ministry of Agriculture has had to negotiate the regionalization of export bans on a country-by-country basis so that farms not located in areas affected by African swine fever can continue exporting.

The Catalan government announced on Wednesday a €10 million financial aid package for the pig farming sector, which could be increased by another €10 million in the near future. The aim of this package is to begin providing direct aid to farms and companies affected by African swine fever (ASF). Regarding the impact the outbreak will have on the Catalan pig farming and livestock sector as a whole, Ordeig said it is still too early to make calculations, as it will depend on how the epidemic evolves in the coming days. "At the moment we have no figures, but as we have them we will see how we proceed," he emphasized. The Catalan government is also working with the European Commission and the Spanish government to coordinate other lines of economic support for the sector.

The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced on Tuesday that the number of wild boars infected with African swine fever (ASF) has risen to nine, according to a statement. Until now, only two carcasses found in Cerdanyola del Vallès had tested positive for the disease, but seven more suspected cases have now also tested positive, according to analyses conducted by the National Reference Laboratory in Algete (Madrid), which is part of the ministry. According to the ministry's statement, the carcasses of the seven newly infected wild boars were found "very close to where the other two appeared last week," in the Collserola area. The new figure has been reported to the European Commission and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). However, the Spanish government maintains that no cases have been detected in domestic pigs or on pig farms.

The Minister of Agriculture, Òscar Ordeig, confirmed this Monday that only two cases have been detected so far. positive cases of African swine fever In Catalonia, but raised the number of suspected cases to eight and predicted that more positive results would "surely" emerge. The regional minister stated that it is still "too early" to determine the origin of the virus outbreak, although he indicated that the most likely scenario is that it arrived via contaminated food remains. In a press conference at midday on Monday, Ordeig explained that, for the moment, only two cases of infected wild boar have been confirmed. The first two were detected in Cerdanyola del Vallès last week, which prompted the Ministry of Agriculture to suspend all export licenses for wild boar meat to other countries. Aside from these two cases, the laboratory of the Animal Health Research Center (IRTA-CRESA) of the Catalan government has analyzed approximately forty more wild boar found in the area, of which about eight are suspected of having the disease.

The arrival of African swine fever (ASF) is very bad news. The pig sector is key in Catalonia. There is a pig population of 7.9 million, almost as many as the inhabitants, and last year, for example, exports were worth €1,144.39 million, according to data from the Catalan government. For now, it is exports that are affected, but if the disease were to spread, it would also affect domestic trade, since if a case is detected on a farm, all the animals must be slaughtered. The possibility of Pepa (as veterinarians and farmers call it) spreading is therefore a nightmare that could affect the entire sector and mean millions in losses for farmers and the elimination of many jobs related to the entire food industry chain. That is why there is such interest in containing the outbreak in the area where the first infected wild boars were found, the six kilometers of the Collserola mountain range around the Autonomous University of Catalonia.

The Catalan Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food, Òscar Ordeig, stated this Wednesday that shops and restaurants could face fish shortages during the Christmas holidays if the European Commission does not authorize additional working days for Catalan fishermen. European regulations allow fishermen a maximum number of fishing days per year. In the case of Catalonia, if this quota is not increased, fishermen will have to remain in port during the final weeks of 2025 because they will have already used up all their allotted days, meaning they will be unable to supply shops during the Christmas season, one of the peak periods for fish and seafood consumption. Ordeig explained that the European Commissioner for Fisheries, Costas Kadis, has committed to allowing fishermen to go out to sea more days this year, but the exact number has not yet been specified. In an interview on SER radio, Ordeig stated that there will "obviously" be a shortage of fish if Brussels ultimately does not allow fishermen to work more days. The regional minister reiterated his criticism of the European Union's fisheries policy, which, in his opinion, is pushing many professionals in the Catalan fishing sector to abandon the activity. One of the Catalan government's main complaints about the EU's fisheries policy is that it is "rigid" and, furthermore, equates fishing in the Atlantic, which is much more industrialized and uses very large vessels owned by major companies, with fishing in the Mediterranean—especially in Catalonia, Spain, and Italy—which is more traditional and where fishermen often form small groups. Clash with Brussels

The Catalan government, like the Spanish government and most regional governments, has opposed the latest proposal from the European Commission, which cut the fishing quota for trawlers in the Mediterranean by 79% and proposed that vessels only go to sea for 20 to 29 days per year. The Spanish government formed a common front with Italy and France to prevent the approval of this legislation, but Brussels temporarily backtracked and authorized that boats that had implemented a series of environmental and energy efficiency measures could fish for 130 days, as in 2024.

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A second outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD), detected this past Monday A recent outbreak on a farm in Peralada (Alt Empordà) has forced the slaughter of all 270 dairy cows. This is the second farm where all livestock has been slaughtered to prevent the spread of the NCD virus. In light of these events, the Catalan government has approved a €4 million package to compensate the affected farmers for their losses while it prepares to begin vaccinating livestock on all farms within a 50-kilometer radius of the first outbreak this Wednesday.

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Òscar Ordeig, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food, will travel to Brussels mid-month with Prime Minister Salvador Illa to try to defend the Catalan fishing sector against the threat of further cuts to authorized fishing days. The department he heads has a budget of 23 million for the sector and this year has allocated 2.3 million to subsidize changes to nets and doors for the Catalan fleet, which has thus been able to avoid the cuts that threatened to leave it with only 27 fishing days per year.

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The inauguration of Salvador Illa's new government last August placed Òscar Ordeig at the head of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food of the Generalitat (Catalan Government). Almost a year later, and therefore just weeks before celebrating his first anniversary in office, the minister is hosting ARA in the Parliament to take stock and also to discuss both long-term policies and the most recent events of recent months, such as the fires and Brussels' recent proposal to cut funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

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Each Catalan family threw away, on average, 63 kilograms of usable food last year. And that wasted food could have been used by 300,000 people. Or, to put it another way, it would cover the needs of 14% of the population at risk of poverty. These are the calculations made this Monday by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, which until now did not exclude food thrown away at homes, but rather accumulated it in a count that included waste from restaurants and shops.

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