A Producer-Led Push for Swine Health
Pork producers need a swine health strategy that actually works on the farm. The Swine Health advisory committee was created to make sure that happens.
For the inaugural meeting in May, the advisory committee’s twenty-seven producers, veterinarians, USDA staff and packers/processors met in Des Moines and left with a clear direction: build on what’s working and accelerate action. The National Swine Health Strategy (NSHS) only succeeds if it reflects producers’ needs, and the advisory committee is responsible for ensuring it delivers.
The advisory committee identified five focus areas to drive measurable progress in swine health.
The Top 5 Focus Areas Driving Progress
- Build Industry Buy-In for the NSHS
First, the committee will secure broad industry support for the NSHS. That means engaging state pork associations, industry organizations and producers directly to build support, strengthen participation, and ensure the strategy reflects actual needs on the farm. - Advance PEDV Elimination Framework
Accelerating progress toward a national PEDV elimination framework is a critical step outlined by the advisory committee. The team will identify practical next steps, address industry barriers, and dive deeper into transportation sanitation and the status of PEDV vaccine technology. Economic and feasibility analyses are also being prioritized to help producers weigh adoption decisions.
- Advance PRRSV Elimination Framework
The current Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) framework needs an upgrade. The NPB swine health team will collaborate with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and other organizations to begin modernizing the national PRRSV elimination framework with practical actions producers can implement. - Get Serious about Transportation Biosecurity
The NPB swine health team will define what effective truck wash sanitation looks like, the current adoption of market haul sanitation, and how to scale it across the industry. - Make Site Health Status Data Work Harder for Producers
Producers need health data that works for them, and that starts with more transparency across systems. The team is exploring new functions in AgView® to support site status sharing, while also developing clearer guidance on disease-positive populations, movement decisions, and on-farm biocontainment.
Your Swine Health Team Is Already Delivering
NPB’s swine health team is prioritizing PEDV as a first step in disease elimination efforts. Why start with PEDV? The framework is already well developed, creating an opportunity for the industry to achieve meaningful progress faster.
Additionally, the work, data, and lessons gained through this focus on PEDV will help inform future PRRSV elimination efforts and support better strategies to reduce disease spread across the U.S. swine industry.
Clear Direction and a Sense of Urgency
The May meeting brought candid conversation, strong engagement, and a clear sense of urgency.
“The discussion reinforced both the urgency of improving swine health and the opportunity we have to make meaningful progress for U.S. pork producers. The direction is clear and our focus now is turning that direction into action.”
Paul Ayers, Swine Health advisory committee chairman
Conversations centered on aligning around shared goals for the NSHS and recognizing that broad industry endorsement will ultimately determine its success. Over the course of the year, the committee is responsible for identifying what’s working, where gaps remain, and where the industry should focus next.
“I’m excited to work alongside this group of engaged producers who are stepping up to share their time and expertise to strengthen swine health across the industry,” said Dr. Dusty Oedekoven, NPB Chief Veterinarian.
Turning Strategy into Action
Swine health is not a talking point; it’s producers’ bottom line.
Progress starts on the farm, but lasting change only happens when the entire industry moves together. The Pork Checkoff is committed to giving you the research, tools and support to make that happen.
The committee has set the direction. Now the work shifts to execution. Over the next 90 days, the NPB swine health team is committed to delivering meaningful progress on these focus areas.
