sCiENCE tECHNOlOgY - Pork Checkoff - National Pork Board
SCIENCE
2013
&
TECHNOLOGY Highlights
Vision Statement
Leading a world-class food industry. Responsible. Sustainable. Professional. Profitable.
Mission Statement
The National Pork Board harnesses the resources of all producers to capture opportunity, address challenges and satisfy customers.
As part of its core mission, the Pork Checkoff helps find solutions to common issues and challenges facing the industry. At the direction of producer-led committees, the Checkoff’s Science and Technology Department oversees all funded science-based studies to ensure that they adhere to the rigorous standards Checkoff demands in order to get the maximum return on producers’ investment.
The three main criteria that research projects must meet to get funded include: High Impact • Capitalize on an opportunity to improve industry’s profit potential. or, alternatively, • Minimize a threat that could “bring the industry to its knees.” No Overlap • Address a need that industry cannot or will not accomplish Industry-Wide Benefit • Must benefit the entire industry, not just a segment. Several years ago, pork producers agreed that
four main themes best represented the vision for today’s Pork Checkoff. Here’s a look at what they are and examples of how the Checkoff’s Science and Technology Department have made progress in each one: Responsible. This is best illustrated by the ongoing commitment to programs such as Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus®) and Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA). And to the We Care initiative. Sustainable. Through the development of a comprehensive sustainability framework, the pork industry will have a credible and useful way to address human health and safety, animal care and welfare, environmental stewardship and economic integrity. Professional. The professionalism of producers is demonstrated every day by the ongoing commitment to the six ethical principles of We Care. It continues through programs such as Operation Main Street, where producers share their farm’s story to non-farm audiences and use facts provided by Checkoff-funded research in the areas of science and technology. Profitable. The ongoing commitment to improve sales of U.S. pork both domestically and internationally never stops. To complement the domestic and international sales and marketing efforts, the Checkoff has increased its technical-based emphasis on issues such as foreign animal disease, residue avoidance and pork safety to help ensure stability and growth potential in all markets. The following pages shows a few more ways how the Checkoff’s Science and Technology Department made progress in 2013 in each of its areas.
Animal Science
Animal Science Committee Purpose: To identify opportunities to enhance producer competitiveness and profitability through animal science-related and producer-directed research and information programs. Research often relates to nutrition, alternative feedstuffs, sow longevity and productivity, pork quality, genetics/genomics, alternative production systems and alternatives to antibiotics.
Major Projects: • • • •
Research to reduce production costs Improvement of sow lifetime productivity Mitigation of the impact of seasonality Analysis of trends in production metrics over time
Major Accomplishments: • Awarded 22 scholarships totaling $48,500 to students from 13 different states and 14 different institutions who are committed to careers in the pork industry. • Released the information generated by the Industry Productivity Analysis at the World Pork Expo that documented continuous improvement in key productivity indicators for the past seven years. • Initiated annual research webinar series to be held each August. The 2013 series focused on research results related to reducing on-farm feed costs. • Initiated the first of four research projects in the sow lifetime productivity effort designed to improve sow lifetime productivity by 30 percent by 2017.
Committee Purpose: To maintain and promote the pork industry tradition of responsible animal care through the application of scientifically sound animal care practices. Efforts include: Advancing producers’ awareness of emerging animal welfare issues; Providing information and education to improve animal care skills; supporting scientific research to enhance animal well-being; providing information for greater public understanding and awareness about producers’ commitment to providing humane care.
Major Projects: • The effects of weaning sows on aggression, physiology and productivity; implications with group housing • Animal welfare impact of trip duration and provision of feed and water on weaned-pig transport • Evaluation of transportation conditions on performance of weaned and feeder pigs • Validation of measures for pain assessment in piglets aged 0 to 10 days • A study to develop and validate assays to measure and compare four circulating neuropeptides as objective pain biomarkers in piglets • Nitrous oxide for piglet euthanasia validation
Major Accomplishments: • Reported results from completed research that provides science based recommendations for bedding needs during finish pig transport. • Revised the TQA program’s animal care content. • Established and facilitated the Industry Audit Task Force. The purpose of this group of producers, packers and customers is to develop a consistent, reliable and verifiable system that assures on-farm animal well-being and eliminates duplication, minimizes burden placed on pork producers and protects biosecurity. • Represented U.S. pork producers with international welfare standard-setting organizations.
Animal Welfare
Animal Welfare
2013 PORK INDUSTRY
Environmental Stewards
Environment
Environment Committee Purpose: To develop proactive programs to help producers meet the challenges for responsible pork production and protect the environment, while maintaining the economic competitiveness of the U.S. pork industry.
Major Projects: • •
Continued development of the Four Pillars of Environmental Sustainability - Continued development of Air Footprint of the U.S. Pork Industry – expected completion early – 2014 - Initiated an effort to identify the baseline Land Footprint of the U.S. Pork Industry - Further enhancements to the Live Swine Environmental Footprint Calculator – version 3 release in second quarter of 2014 Initiated an effort to develop a consensus definition of “sustainability” for live swine production in the U.S. pork industry as well as “key performance indicators” for benchmarking and measuring future progress. Recommendations will be presented to the National Pork Board directors in the first quarter 2014. • NPB managed research contracts with Iowa State University for the Iowa Pork Producers Association to pinpoint causes of foaming in deep-pit manure storage facilities and to identify corrective measures to avoid the resulting buildup of flammable levels of methane gas in buildings. • Continued the top-down review of the Environmental Stewards program with an intent to expand the program beyond environmental issues to embody the other We Care® ethical principles.
Major Accomplishments:
• Completed the baseline Water Use Footprint for live swine production in the U.S. • Released Version 2 of the Live Swine Environmental Footprint Calculator which now includes the water footprint as well as carbon footprint assessment and also includes an economic impact module. • The subcommittee of the Environmental Stewards Program selected four farms from across the country to be recognized for this award. These recipients’ stories, shared with key audiences, provided real-world examples of how U.S. producers demonstrate We Care® ethical principles every day.
Pork Safety, Quality & Human Nutrition Committee Purpose: Use sound science to anticipate and address consumer’s needs and expectations of wholesome and nutritious pork products to increase pork consumption.
Major Projects
Major Accomplishments • Collaborated with the Animal Science Committee to further understand on-farm production factors affecting fat quality to help produce and maintain a highquality end product. • Collaborated with Domestic Marketing and the Animal Science Committee to develop a plan to increase the value of loin cuts by improving pork quality. • Responded to a new issue related to extra-label penicillin use in swine by funding research and communicating results through creation of materials that gave veterinarians and producers guidance about the required withdrawal time. • Funded a nationwide study to determine the pork quality variation at retail markets to establish a baseline where improvements can be documented. • Hosted a dietitian summit to meet and engage with dietitians and nutrition influencers on key issues such as nutrition research, sustainability, antibiotics and hormones, production, nomenclature and cooking temperatures and more. • Hosted a webinar to educate states, producers and health influencers on the school nutrition process and pork’s role in school nutrition and how it fits into new school meal guidelines. • Produced new health professional materials to share with their clients (consumers) on how pork fits into a healthy lifestyle.
Pork Safety, Quality & Human Nutrition
• Sought new information on how to improve pork quality. –– Funded research looking into ways to develop prediction equations to calculate carcass fat quality –– Funded research to understand the seasonal impact on fat quality –– Funded research to evaluate impact of salt and fat quality on shelf-life of bacon –– Funded work to understand if there was need for a pork-quality grading system • Provided funding to the University of Colorado to do research looking at how high-protein consumption of meat compared with dairy affects infant growth. • Lead a coalition of pork, beef, egg and dairy groups to provide funding of research looking at effects of dietary protein patterning on weight loss and resistance training-induced changes in body composition and skeletal muscle. • Funded research looking at a high-protein, weight-loss treatment for sarcopenic (loss of skeletal muscle) obesity in older women.
Producer, Public Health & Workplace Safety Committee Purpose: Acquire and provide science-based information that will protect and improve producers and public health, promote a safe farm work environment and enhance consumer confidence in U.S. pork production.
Producer, Public Health & Worker Safety
Major Projects: • Funded key public health and workplace safety research projects. Research funded included environmental movement of antimicrobial-resistant genes and a strategy to preserve efficacies of antimicrobials against important swine pathogens. • Hosted U.S. producers and subject matter experts to conduct a “EU Case Study: Antibiotic Use and Data Collection.” The delegation visited with academics, government regulators and allied industry in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to learn firsthand what the animal and public health implications are to various EU antibiotic-use policies. • Updated MRSA white paper, “Animal and Human Health, Implications of Livestock Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).” This updated review will help the pork industry stay abreast of the current research to better understand this complex issue. • Created a “Benchmarking Workplace Safety” data base allowing pork producers to track and compare workplace safety data across farm A Champions Guide to Youth systems and between peer companies. Results Swine Exhibition: will assist pork producers to reduce accidents on farms and the associated safety related cost. Biosecurity & Your Pig Project
Major Accomplishments:
Producer, Public Health & Worker Safety
• Formed an Environmental/Community Health Taskforce to develop a research and communication strategy to address public concerns about environmental/community health effects of pork production. • Formed a Niche Production Public Health/Food Safety Taskforce to identify education and communication needs of niche pork producers related to best practices for safe food production. • Participated in the multi-stakeholder task force to develop the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials (NASAHO) and National Association of State Public Health Vets (NASPHV) “Measures to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Swine Exhibitions, 2013.” • Collaborated with the Swine Health Committee to update the brochure entitled “A Champions Guide to Youth Swine Exhibition: Biosecurity & Your Pig Project,” to provide a youth-specific resource on biosecurity. • Participated in several stakeholder meetings to provide stakeholder input on FDA’s judicious antibiotic use proposals. Supported producer representation/ input at five FDA listening sessions across the U.S. concerning the proposed FDA Veterinary Feed Directive. • Collaborated with federal and state animal and public health officials to provide timely communications to state pork associations, exhibitors and fairgoers during the influenza A H2N2v events at fairs and exhibitions. • Launched “Benchmarking Workplace Safety” at World Pork Expo 2013 with 19.3% of the U.S. sow herd represented by December 2013.
Swine Health Committee Purpose: To review and act on the strategic health issues which may affect the productivity of swine herds and global trade issues. To make recommendations to allied industry and producers to maintain and improve the swine herd health. To collaborate with other animal health related entities and organization in order to more effectively solve U.S. swine health issues.
Domestic Animal Disease Projects: • Funded essential PEDV research: – Study of PEDV pathogenicity—how it affects the organs of pigs – Development of diagnostic tests for PEDV – Development of methods to grow the virus (necessary for future diagnostic test and vaccine development) – Survivability in feed, water, manure, slurry, and in trailers – Evaluation of transportation trailers and buying stations as risk factors for PEDV • Perform a comprehensive literature review of the PRRS virus in order to assess existing gaps in knowledge and to provide a roadmap for future research. • Provide funding for the review of swine influenza isolates collective from the USDA SIV Surveillance Plan in order to assess current changes in isolations, develop updated diagnostic testing and to assess vaccination needs. • Funded research for key swine diseases including PCV2, Rotavirus and Swine Influenza Virus.
Swine Health
Major Accomplishments:
• Collaborated with the Animal Science Committee to look at the pig’s immune system and nutritional needs when it’s facing PRRS to identify potential genetic traits for selection for PRRS resistance. • Collaborated with the Producer, Public Health & Work Place Safety Committee to update the brochure entitled “A Champions Guide to Youth Swine Exhibition: Biosecurity & Your Pig Project” to provide a youth-specific resource. • Developed resources for PEDV covering basic disease information and biosecurity for the swine industry including producers, veterinarians, transporters, manure haulers and packers. • Provided timely research updates for ongoing PEDV research. • Worked with the Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense Center to expand the current Sentinel Veterinary Clinic program into a more formal system of Enhanced Passive Surveillance utilizing e-tablet technology.
Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) Projects: • Addressed the immediate needs for vaccine and oral fluid diagnostics for African Swine Fever and a mechanism to evaluate the optimal control strategies for Foot and Mouth Disease from an animal welfare perspective through research. • Identified gaps and the measures needed to protect U.S. agriculture from an accidental or deliberate introduction of a FAD through funding a gap analysis for border protection with the Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense Center at Texas A&M.
Major Accomplishments: • Increased the tools available to producers to help identify and report suspect Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD) with the new FAD Toolkit that provides written and visual resources for disease control. • Successfully demonstrated the ability to securely share producer movement and diagnostic data with State Animal Health Officials to support business continuity in an FAD outbreak. • Supported the critical need to move forward on a credible and workable FAD business continuity plan for the pork industry though participation in the development and review of the first draft of the Secure Pork Supply Plan.
Swine Health
©2014 National Pork Board, Des Moines, IA USA This message funded by America’s Pork Producers and the Pork Checkoff. #04116 2/2014
2013
&
TECHNOLOGY Highlights
Vision Statement
Leading a world-class food industry. Responsible. Sustainable. Professional. Profitable.
Mission Statement
The National Pork Board harnesses the resources of all producers to capture opportunity, address challenges and satisfy customers.
As part of its core mission, the Pork Checkoff helps find solutions to common issues and challenges facing the industry. At the direction of producer-led committees, the Checkoff’s Science and Technology Department oversees all funded science-based studies to ensure that they adhere to the rigorous standards Checkoff demands in order to get the maximum return on producers’ investment.
The three main criteria that research projects must meet to get funded include: High Impact • Capitalize on an opportunity to improve industry’s profit potential. or, alternatively, • Minimize a threat that could “bring the industry to its knees.” No Overlap • Address a need that industry cannot or will not accomplish Industry-Wide Benefit • Must benefit the entire industry, not just a segment. Several years ago, pork producers agreed that
four main themes best represented the vision for today’s Pork Checkoff. Here’s a look at what they are and examples of how the Checkoff’s Science and Technology Department have made progress in each one: Responsible. This is best illustrated by the ongoing commitment to programs such as Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus®) and Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA). And to the We Care initiative. Sustainable. Through the development of a comprehensive sustainability framework, the pork industry will have a credible and useful way to address human health and safety, animal care and welfare, environmental stewardship and economic integrity. Professional. The professionalism of producers is demonstrated every day by the ongoing commitment to the six ethical principles of We Care. It continues through programs such as Operation Main Street, where producers share their farm’s story to non-farm audiences and use facts provided by Checkoff-funded research in the areas of science and technology. Profitable. The ongoing commitment to improve sales of U.S. pork both domestically and internationally never stops. To complement the domestic and international sales and marketing efforts, the Checkoff has increased its technical-based emphasis on issues such as foreign animal disease, residue avoidance and pork safety to help ensure stability and growth potential in all markets. The following pages shows a few more ways how the Checkoff’s Science and Technology Department made progress in 2013 in each of its areas.
Animal Science
Animal Science Committee Purpose: To identify opportunities to enhance producer competitiveness and profitability through animal science-related and producer-directed research and information programs. Research often relates to nutrition, alternative feedstuffs, sow longevity and productivity, pork quality, genetics/genomics, alternative production systems and alternatives to antibiotics.
Major Projects: • • • •
Research to reduce production costs Improvement of sow lifetime productivity Mitigation of the impact of seasonality Analysis of trends in production metrics over time
Major Accomplishments: • Awarded 22 scholarships totaling $48,500 to students from 13 different states and 14 different institutions who are committed to careers in the pork industry. • Released the information generated by the Industry Productivity Analysis at the World Pork Expo that documented continuous improvement in key productivity indicators for the past seven years. • Initiated annual research webinar series to be held each August. The 2013 series focused on research results related to reducing on-farm feed costs. • Initiated the first of four research projects in the sow lifetime productivity effort designed to improve sow lifetime productivity by 30 percent by 2017.
Committee Purpose: To maintain and promote the pork industry tradition of responsible animal care through the application of scientifically sound animal care practices. Efforts include: Advancing producers’ awareness of emerging animal welfare issues; Providing information and education to improve animal care skills; supporting scientific research to enhance animal well-being; providing information for greater public understanding and awareness about producers’ commitment to providing humane care.
Major Projects: • The effects of weaning sows on aggression, physiology and productivity; implications with group housing • Animal welfare impact of trip duration and provision of feed and water on weaned-pig transport • Evaluation of transportation conditions on performance of weaned and feeder pigs • Validation of measures for pain assessment in piglets aged 0 to 10 days • A study to develop and validate assays to measure and compare four circulating neuropeptides as objective pain biomarkers in piglets • Nitrous oxide for piglet euthanasia validation
Major Accomplishments: • Reported results from completed research that provides science based recommendations for bedding needs during finish pig transport. • Revised the TQA program’s animal care content. • Established and facilitated the Industry Audit Task Force. The purpose of this group of producers, packers and customers is to develop a consistent, reliable and verifiable system that assures on-farm animal well-being and eliminates duplication, minimizes burden placed on pork producers and protects biosecurity. • Represented U.S. pork producers with international welfare standard-setting organizations.
Animal Welfare
Animal Welfare
2013 PORK INDUSTRY
Environmental Stewards
Environment
Environment Committee Purpose: To develop proactive programs to help producers meet the challenges for responsible pork production and protect the environment, while maintaining the economic competitiveness of the U.S. pork industry.
Major Projects: • •
Continued development of the Four Pillars of Environmental Sustainability - Continued development of Air Footprint of the U.S. Pork Industry – expected completion early – 2014 - Initiated an effort to identify the baseline Land Footprint of the U.S. Pork Industry - Further enhancements to the Live Swine Environmental Footprint Calculator – version 3 release in second quarter of 2014 Initiated an effort to develop a consensus definition of “sustainability” for live swine production in the U.S. pork industry as well as “key performance indicators” for benchmarking and measuring future progress. Recommendations will be presented to the National Pork Board directors in the first quarter 2014. • NPB managed research contracts with Iowa State University for the Iowa Pork Producers Association to pinpoint causes of foaming in deep-pit manure storage facilities and to identify corrective measures to avoid the resulting buildup of flammable levels of methane gas in buildings. • Continued the top-down review of the Environmental Stewards program with an intent to expand the program beyond environmental issues to embody the other We Care® ethical principles.
Major Accomplishments:
• Completed the baseline Water Use Footprint for live swine production in the U.S. • Released Version 2 of the Live Swine Environmental Footprint Calculator which now includes the water footprint as well as carbon footprint assessment and also includes an economic impact module. • The subcommittee of the Environmental Stewards Program selected four farms from across the country to be recognized for this award. These recipients’ stories, shared with key audiences, provided real-world examples of how U.S. producers demonstrate We Care® ethical principles every day.
Pork Safety, Quality & Human Nutrition Committee Purpose: Use sound science to anticipate and address consumer’s needs and expectations of wholesome and nutritious pork products to increase pork consumption.
Major Projects
Major Accomplishments • Collaborated with the Animal Science Committee to further understand on-farm production factors affecting fat quality to help produce and maintain a highquality end product. • Collaborated with Domestic Marketing and the Animal Science Committee to develop a plan to increase the value of loin cuts by improving pork quality. • Responded to a new issue related to extra-label penicillin use in swine by funding research and communicating results through creation of materials that gave veterinarians and producers guidance about the required withdrawal time. • Funded a nationwide study to determine the pork quality variation at retail markets to establish a baseline where improvements can be documented. • Hosted a dietitian summit to meet and engage with dietitians and nutrition influencers on key issues such as nutrition research, sustainability, antibiotics and hormones, production, nomenclature and cooking temperatures and more. • Hosted a webinar to educate states, producers and health influencers on the school nutrition process and pork’s role in school nutrition and how it fits into new school meal guidelines. • Produced new health professional materials to share with their clients (consumers) on how pork fits into a healthy lifestyle.
Pork Safety, Quality & Human Nutrition
• Sought new information on how to improve pork quality. –– Funded research looking into ways to develop prediction equations to calculate carcass fat quality –– Funded research to understand the seasonal impact on fat quality –– Funded research to evaluate impact of salt and fat quality on shelf-life of bacon –– Funded work to understand if there was need for a pork-quality grading system • Provided funding to the University of Colorado to do research looking at how high-protein consumption of meat compared with dairy affects infant growth. • Lead a coalition of pork, beef, egg and dairy groups to provide funding of research looking at effects of dietary protein patterning on weight loss and resistance training-induced changes in body composition and skeletal muscle. • Funded research looking at a high-protein, weight-loss treatment for sarcopenic (loss of skeletal muscle) obesity in older women.
Producer, Public Health & Workplace Safety Committee Purpose: Acquire and provide science-based information that will protect and improve producers and public health, promote a safe farm work environment and enhance consumer confidence in U.S. pork production.
Producer, Public Health & Worker Safety
Major Projects: • Funded key public health and workplace safety research projects. Research funded included environmental movement of antimicrobial-resistant genes and a strategy to preserve efficacies of antimicrobials against important swine pathogens. • Hosted U.S. producers and subject matter experts to conduct a “EU Case Study: Antibiotic Use and Data Collection.” The delegation visited with academics, government regulators and allied industry in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to learn firsthand what the animal and public health implications are to various EU antibiotic-use policies. • Updated MRSA white paper, “Animal and Human Health, Implications of Livestock Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).” This updated review will help the pork industry stay abreast of the current research to better understand this complex issue. • Created a “Benchmarking Workplace Safety” data base allowing pork producers to track and compare workplace safety data across farm A Champions Guide to Youth systems and between peer companies. Results Swine Exhibition: will assist pork producers to reduce accidents on farms and the associated safety related cost. Biosecurity & Your Pig Project
Major Accomplishments:
Producer, Public Health & Worker Safety
• Formed an Environmental/Community Health Taskforce to develop a research and communication strategy to address public concerns about environmental/community health effects of pork production. • Formed a Niche Production Public Health/Food Safety Taskforce to identify education and communication needs of niche pork producers related to best practices for safe food production. • Participated in the multi-stakeholder task force to develop the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials (NASAHO) and National Association of State Public Health Vets (NASPHV) “Measures to Minimize Influenza Transmission at Swine Exhibitions, 2013.” • Collaborated with the Swine Health Committee to update the brochure entitled “A Champions Guide to Youth Swine Exhibition: Biosecurity & Your Pig Project,” to provide a youth-specific resource on biosecurity. • Participated in several stakeholder meetings to provide stakeholder input on FDA’s judicious antibiotic use proposals. Supported producer representation/ input at five FDA listening sessions across the U.S. concerning the proposed FDA Veterinary Feed Directive. • Collaborated with federal and state animal and public health officials to provide timely communications to state pork associations, exhibitors and fairgoers during the influenza A H2N2v events at fairs and exhibitions. • Launched “Benchmarking Workplace Safety” at World Pork Expo 2013 with 19.3% of the U.S. sow herd represented by December 2013.
Swine Health Committee Purpose: To review and act on the strategic health issues which may affect the productivity of swine herds and global trade issues. To make recommendations to allied industry and producers to maintain and improve the swine herd health. To collaborate with other animal health related entities and organization in order to more effectively solve U.S. swine health issues.
Domestic Animal Disease Projects: • Funded essential PEDV research: – Study of PEDV pathogenicity—how it affects the organs of pigs – Development of diagnostic tests for PEDV – Development of methods to grow the virus (necessary for future diagnostic test and vaccine development) – Survivability in feed, water, manure, slurry, and in trailers – Evaluation of transportation trailers and buying stations as risk factors for PEDV • Perform a comprehensive literature review of the PRRS virus in order to assess existing gaps in knowledge and to provide a roadmap for future research. • Provide funding for the review of swine influenza isolates collective from the USDA SIV Surveillance Plan in order to assess current changes in isolations, develop updated diagnostic testing and to assess vaccination needs. • Funded research for key swine diseases including PCV2, Rotavirus and Swine Influenza Virus.
Swine Health
Major Accomplishments:
• Collaborated with the Animal Science Committee to look at the pig’s immune system and nutritional needs when it’s facing PRRS to identify potential genetic traits for selection for PRRS resistance. • Collaborated with the Producer, Public Health & Work Place Safety Committee to update the brochure entitled “A Champions Guide to Youth Swine Exhibition: Biosecurity & Your Pig Project” to provide a youth-specific resource. • Developed resources for PEDV covering basic disease information and biosecurity for the swine industry including producers, veterinarians, transporters, manure haulers and packers. • Provided timely research updates for ongoing PEDV research. • Worked with the Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense Center to expand the current Sentinel Veterinary Clinic program into a more formal system of Enhanced Passive Surveillance utilizing e-tablet technology.
Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) Projects: • Addressed the immediate needs for vaccine and oral fluid diagnostics for African Swine Fever and a mechanism to evaluate the optimal control strategies for Foot and Mouth Disease from an animal welfare perspective through research. • Identified gaps and the measures needed to protect U.S. agriculture from an accidental or deliberate introduction of a FAD through funding a gap analysis for border protection with the Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense Center at Texas A&M.
Major Accomplishments: • Increased the tools available to producers to help identify and report suspect Foreign Animal Diseases (FAD) with the new FAD Toolkit that provides written and visual resources for disease control. • Successfully demonstrated the ability to securely share producer movement and diagnostic data with State Animal Health Officials to support business continuity in an FAD outbreak. • Supported the critical need to move forward on a credible and workable FAD business continuity plan for the pork industry though participation in the development and review of the first draft of the Secure Pork Supply Plan.
Swine Health
©2014 National Pork Board, Des Moines, IA USA This message funded by America’s Pork Producers and the Pork Checkoff. #04116 2/2014
