
On Monday 3 March 2025, Luxembourg's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture and the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity announced that, following the recent detection of African swine fever (ASF) in Germany, particularly in the state of Hesse, the Grand Duchy has implemented proactive measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
The ASF Taskforce, convened by Luxembourg’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Martine Hansen, and Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity, Serge Wilmes, has established a response protocol in case of an outbreak on Luxembourgish territory.
In coordination with the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA), the High Commission for National Protection, the Nature and Forest Agency, the National Roads Administration, private veterinarians, the Saint-Hubert Federation of Hunters, the Animal Rescue Group of the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) and the pig farming sector, specific preventive and control measures have been outlined:
- extension of the shooting bonus for wild boar piglets (€50) until 31 March 2026 to swiftly reduce the wild boar population;
- evaluation of possible adjustments to hunting hours to improve population control;
- planning of two new wild game collection centres in Niederfeulen and Marnach;
- stockpiling of 30 kilometres of electric fencing for rapid deployment in the event of an ASF case in Luxembourg;
- introduction of specialised cadaver detection dogs to locate deceased wild boars.
To further prevent the introduction of ASF, the ALVA has launched a public awareness campaign. Through conferences, training sessions, specialised press articles and informational flyers, the campaign aims to educate road transport operators, international travellers, hunters and seasonal workers on the risks of ASF transmission. The campaign has also emphasised "the risk of contaminated food waste from infected countries being discarded in nature and subsequently consumed by wild boars".
The ministries added that although Luxembourg remains free of ASF, ALVA urges strict precautionary measures. Access to pig farms is strictly limited to authorised personnel, ensuring compliance with biosecurity protocols to prevent the virus from entering farm environments.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Viticulture and the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity recalled that any wild boar carcass found in nature should be immediately reported to ALVA via tel: 247-82539 for laboratory analysis.
IK