Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 6/8/17


The National Pork Board announced the creation of a Secure Pork Supply plan to help pig farmers respond quickly to the threat of a foreign animal disease (FAD).

The plan, with major support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will enhance communication and coordination of all pork chain segments to help producers keep their farms operating and related business activities functioning. It addresses the safe movement of animals from farms in an FAD control area to harvest channels or to other production sites.

Other basics of the plan include implementing sound biosecurity, using premises identification tags, keeping detailed production records and maintaining all necessary health papers and certificates.

“We’re thankful that our country has not experienced a disease such as foot-and-mouth (FMD) since 1929,” said Terry O’Neel, National Pork Board president from Friend, Nebraska. “However, if we get the news that FMD, African swine fever or another foreign animal disease has arrived, the Secure Pork Supply plan will pay big dividends by getting pork production back to normal much faster.”

An Iowa State University study estimates potential revenue losses to U.S. pork and beef industries from an FMD outbreak would run $12.8 billion per year.

The Secure Pork Supply plan is the result of collaboration between USDA, the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and academia as well as other state and federal partners.
The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest 40 cents for each $100 value of hogs sold.

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