SHIC Announces Funding of Five Additional H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program Projects

The Swine Health Information Center, in collaboration with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and the Pork Checkoff, recently funded five additional projects addressing research priorities and topics for the H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program. Goals of the program are to enhance prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response capabilities for H5N1 influenza in the US swine herd. The first request for proposals for this program was announced in November 2024 and resulted in funding of 10 H5N1 research projects in 2025 totaling $2.2 million. A second RFP was announced in January 2026 outlining seven priorities not yet adequately addressed by the first 10 projects. By March 2026, a total of 42 proposals were received from 26 different organizations across three countries.

The priority areas addressed through the newly funded projects include diagnostic surveillance, introduction and transmission risks, biosecurity, pork safety, and production impact. Funding timely research is an essential component of SHIC’s mission to provide project outcomes that drive action for emerging disease prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response for the US swine industry.

SHIC/FFAR/NPB H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program projects funded and initiated in response to the second RFP include:

Diagnostic Surveillance

Beyond the Snout: Validating Oral, Mammary, and Environmental Sampling for Rapid H5N1 Incursion Detection

• ▪️Principal Investigator: Andrew Bowman, The Ohio State University
• ▪️Objective: Validate existing swine surveillance infrastructure for the rapid detection of H5N1 and characterize viral persistence in the production environment.
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Introduction and Transmission Risks

A Multi-Level Analysis of H5N1 Introduction and Persistence in Swine

• ▪️Principal Investigator: Cody Warren, The Ohio State University
• ▪️Objective: Systematic experimental evaluation of four high-priority agricultural interfaces that could enable H5N1 introduction into or subsequent spread through swine herds: (1) contaminated dairy-derived products, (2) poultry exposure during mixed-species co-housing, (3) boar semen used for artificial insemination, and (4) lactational and close-contact exposure during cross-fostering.
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Biosecurity

Addendum to: Enhancing Biosecurity in Swine Operations: Investigating Wildlife Interactions on Swine

• ▪️Principal Investigator: Igor Paploski, University of Minnesota
• ▪️Objective: Characterize dead animal management structures, document wildlife interactions, identify risk factors associated with wildlife presence, and develop recommendations to reduce wildlife contact with these structures.
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Pork Safety

Inactivation of Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Pork Products

• ▪️Principal Investigator: Mary-Grace C. Danao, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• ▪️Objective: Confirm H5N1 inactivation across three representative pork processing and cooking pathways: (1) grilling pork burgers, (2) cooking a meat emulsion, such as hot dogs, and (3) producing fermented pork sausages.
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Production Impact

Impact of Endemic Infections (PRRSV, PCV2, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae) on HPAI H5Nx Pathogenesis and Transmission in Swine

• ▪️Principal Investigator: Yohannes Berhane, National Center for Foreign Animal Disease, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• ▪️Objective: Investigate the role of co-infections in shaping HPAI H5Nx disease outcomes
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Critical research investments are necessary to understand and prevent H5N1 incursion on swine farms, ensure rapid detection of H5N1 if introduced, protect animal and caretaker health, inform pork industry stakeholder response, mitigate production losses on farm, identify effective control measures, and develop clear messaging to consumers on the safety of pork. Outcomes from the funded projects will provide critical information that producers, veterinarians, and industry stakeholders can use to better prevent incursion and develop preparedness plans if H5N1 is identified in US commercial swine herds.

Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement US Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment. Connect: @FoundationFAR

Swine Health Information Center

The Swine Health Information Center, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, protects and enhances the health of the US swine herd by minimizing the impact of emerging disease threats through preparedness, coordinated communications, global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data, and targeted research investments. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Lisa Becton at [email protected].