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AgView Expands Support for Industry PEDV Elimination Efforts
New enhancements to AgView® support the elimination of PEDV by making it easier to manage and share PEDV Clean status through U.S. SHIP.
National Swine Health Strategy
Protecting the U.S. Swine Herd
The health of the U.S. swine herd is critical to every pork producer’s livelihood and the industry’s future. Producers face both everyday endemic diseases and the looming threat of foreign animal diseases (FADs) that could devastate their operations.
The National Pork Board is working with key industry partners, including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and state pork associations, to develop a comprehensive National Swine Health Strategy.
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National Swine Health Strategy Next Steps
The National Swine Health Strategy is a producer-led initiative to improve the health of the U.S. swine herd. Together we can navigate the road to a healthier herd, with shared responsibility and shared success.
In recent months, the team developed a tactical work plan aligned to each priority. The plan focuses on two goals: reducing the impact of domestic diseases and keeping foreign and emerging diseases out of the U.S. swine herd. The work plan was approved by the Board of Directors and shared with delegates at the 2026 Pork Industry Forum.
Goal: Reduce Impact of Domestic Diseases
PRRSV Elimination
First Steps:
- Economic study on PRRSV elimination
- Understand the level of industry support related to PRRSV elimination
- Outline Steps of an elimination program
PEDV Elimination
First Steps:
- Economic study on PEDV elimination
- Continue to support PEDV clean certification within U.S. SHIP
- Engage with states interested in piloting regional elimination programs
Reduce Spread of Pathogens in the U.S. Pork Industry
First Steps:
- Understand and benchmark biosecurity
- Improve industry awareness of biocontainment
- Support improvement of transport biosecurity
- Explore Biosecurity validation/verification program
Goal: Keep Foreign and Emerging Diseases Out
Foreign Animal Disease Prevention and Preparedness
First Steps:
- Continued support of preparedness programs
- Advance industry traceability goals
- Continue global disease monitoring
- Update foreign animal disease response documents
Monitoring and Early Detection of Emerging Diseases
First Steps:
- Continue global and domestic disease monitoring
- Continued work on H5N1 and New World Screwworm response planning
The Next Mile: What Producers Can Expect
Keys to Success:
- Producer adoption and participation
- Stronger collaboration across industry organizations
- Assemble NPB Swine Health advisory committee to prioritize and provide direction on work related to:
- Targeted research to address industry gaps
- Resources with clear, actionable practices for producers
- Pork Checkoff investment aligned with producers’ top priorities
The Road to a Healthier Herd
NPB is committed to achieving a measurably healthier swine herd that improves the lives of pigs and people. The feedback we’ve collected is guiding the design of a cohesive framework that directly addresses today’s most pressing swine health challenges and ensures research and programs translate into action.
Read more below about the progress in building the National Swine Health Strategy.
Producer Insights Shape the Strategy
This collaborative, producer-led initiative is grounded in discussions with stakeholder organizations, a renewed focus on African Swine Fever (ASF) priorities and Pork Act Delegates approving an advisement at the 2025 Pork Industry Forum to develop a National Swine Health Strategy.
Gathering Producer and Stakeholder Input
To develop the strategy, NPB connected with producers to identify the most significant swine health challenges. From June–September 2025, input was collected from producers, veterinarians and other allied industry stakeholders through surveys, one-on-one conversations, listening sessions at industry events and state pork association outreach.
An advisory group, including producer leaders, state pork association executives, NPB and NPPC CEOs and staff veterinarians took the following steps.
- Analyzed the data to identify top themes
- Created actionable goals and strategies
Strategic Goals for Swine Health
The advisory group identified two primary goals, each supported by priorities:
Reduce the Impact of Domestic Diseases
- We must eliminate PRRS in the United States. As we move toward that goal, we will continue to support new and ongoing efforts within the pork industry to reduce the impact and facilitate efforts to eliminate the disease.
- We must eliminate PED in the United States. As we move toward that goal, we will continue to support new and ongoing efforts within the pork industry to reduce the impact and facilitate efforts to eliminate the disease.
- Reduce the spread of all pathogens in the U.S. pork industry. Critical to the success of each strategy, we will make a concerted industry effort to encourage health status sharing, reduce disease spread and adopt science-based practices and technologies.
Keep Foreign and Emerging Diseases Out
- To protect the U.S. pork industry, we will continue to implement strategies that prevent the introduction of foreign animal diseases (ASF, CSF, FMD) into the U.S. We will also enhance preparedness measures in the event that an FAD is discovered domestically.
- To protect the U.S. pork industry, we will continue to implement strategies to rapidly identify and respond to emerging diseases (Infection with a new agent or a new manifestation of a previous disease that threatens animal or public health.)
A Producer-Driven Strategy for a Healthier Future
The National Swine Health Strategy is informed by producers, for producers. This is just the beginning of our work to address the industry’s most pressing swine health challenges. Together, we’re laying the foundation for a healthier herd and a more resilient future for U.S. pork.
The outcomes of the National Swine Health Strategy will:
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Foster collaborative efforts across organizations
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Guide future swine health initiatives
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Ensure Pork Checkoff funds are invested in producers’ top priorities
Questions?
For questions about the National Swine Health Strategy, reach the NPB swine health team directly at [email protected].
Laying the Foundation
“The National Swine Health Strategy is informed by producers, for producers. This is just the beginning as we work to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing health challenges. Together, we’re laying the foundation for a healthier herd and a more resilient future for U.S. pork.”
Dr. Dusty Oedekoven, NPB Chief Veterinarian
What This Means for Your Operation
In 2024, 98% of producers who completed NPB’s producer survey stated that herd health is essential to the future success of the industry. This feedback informs NPB’s three-year strategic plan, which aims to improve the lives of pigs and people while achieving a measurably healthier swine herd.
The advisory group, made up of producer leaders who developed a strategy based on a robust set of producer insights with outcomes that will:
- Foster collaborative efforts across organizations
- Guide future swine health initiatives
- Ensure Pork Checkoff funds are invested in producers’ top priorities
Related News
Swine Health
Closing the Gaps: New Research Investments Support Swine Disease Elimination
The Swine Disease Research task force recently funded new PRRSV and PEDV research projects that support National Swine Health Strategy priorities. These projects aim to close critical knowledge gaps and provide producers with practical information to support disease elimination efforts.
National Swine Health Strategy
Swine Health Advisory Committee Sets Five Focus Areas
The Swine Health advisory committee is focused on turning strategy into action. To help advance the National Swine Health Strategy, the committee identified five focus areas that will drive action and measurable progress for U.S. pork producers.
