The mission of the Swine Health Information Center, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, is to protect and enhance 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. Activities of the Swine Health Information Center are guided by its annual Plan of Work detailing projects and programs to address its five strategic priorities, including 1) improving swine health information, 2) monitoring and mitigating risks to swine health, 3) responding to emerging disease, 4) surveillance and discovery of emerging disease, and 5) swine disease matrices. The Plan of Work is developed through stakeholder feedback, approved by the SHIC Board of Directors, and guides SHIC’s activities while remaining nimble and responsive to industry needs.
Research provides critical information and resources to help pork producers as they face emerging disease challenges in their swine herds. Research priorities and topics identified in the Plan of Work help SHIC fulfill its mission to generate new knowledge for preventing, preparing, and responding to emerging swine disease threats. Through the formal request described herein, SHIC is inviting qualified researchers to submit proposals that specifically address targeted research priorities and topics published in the 2025 Plan of Work across SHIC’s five strategic areas. Proposals will undergo a competitive review process for value to the pork industry by a Review Task Force who will provide funding recommendations to the SHIC Board of Directors.
Proposals may come in via response to a call for proposals, a targeted solicitation of someone(s) with a unique ability or expertise to complete a project, or from unsolicited ideas for projects based on the submitter’s perceived industry/producer needs and benefit.
The Swine Health Information Center has partnered with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and the Pork Checkoff to fund a $4M research program to enhance prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response capabilities for H5N1 influenza in the US swine herd.
Launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, the mission of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is to protect and enhance 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. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is a non-profit organization established in the 2014 Farm Bill to build public-private partnerships that fund bold research addressing food and agriculture challenges.
As part of SHIC’s strategic mission to respond to emerging disease threats, SHIC monitors disease outbreaks nationally and internationally for their potential risks to the US swine herd. An emerging disease identified as a priority for US pork industry prevention and preparedness is H5N1 influenza due to the growing number of diverse mammalian species susceptible to infection and the unprecedented 2024 H5N1 outbreak impacting dairy herds across the US.
SHIC’s mission includes analysis of swine health data and targeted research to benefit the US pork industry. SHIC-funded Swine Disease Monitoring Reports’ aggregate data show breeding herd breaks of PRRS and PED tend to follow breaks in wean-to-harvest sites. A SHIC-funded project detailed how PRRS and PED negative pigs placed on wean-to-harvest sites become infected after placement. Further, SHIC’s Rapid Response Program investigation of the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae outbreak in the Midwest exposed deficiencies of wean-to-harvest biosecurity that contributed to disease spread. Proactively enhancing wean-to-harvest biosecurity will help control the next emerging disease in the US pork industry and improve US swine herd health.
SHIC, along with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), a non-profit organization established in the 2014 Farm Bill to build public-private partnerships that fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges, and Pork Checkoff, is funding a Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program to be implemented over the next two years. The first and second rounds of proposal solicitation, selection, and funding are complete. SHIC, FFAR and Pork Checkoff now offer the invitation for further proposals to investigate cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols, or ideas to enhance biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest phase of production.
The Swine Health Information Center and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) have partnered to fund a $1 million research program to enhance US prevention, preparedness, and response capabilities for Japanese encephalitis virus, a transboundary disease risk for US introduction.
SHIC’s strategic mission to monitor risks to swine health includes facilitating and publishing monthly disease monitoring reports to maintain an acute awareness of emerging swine diseases across the world. Japanese encephalitis virus, an emerging disease identified through global disease monitoring as a priority for North American prevention and preparedness activities, is a zoonotic disease transmitted by Culex mosquitoes infected with the virus. The US is currently negative for this mosquito-borne virus which has waterbirds as a natural reservoir host but is capable of infecting pigs, humans, and horses.
Consequently, SHIC and FFAR are inviting proposal submissions from qualified researchers for funding consideration to address JEV research priorities, including topic areas of 1) transmission and epidemiology, 2) mosquito control, 3) diagnostics, 4) communication, 5) surveillance, 6) compatible cases, 7) challenge models, 8) vaccines, 9) cross-protection, 10) competent vectors, 11) role of wildlife, 12) novel hosts, and 13) viral sequencing.
The mission of the Swine Health Information Center, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, is to protect and enhance 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. Activities of the Swine Health Information Center are guided by its annual Plan of Work detailing projects and programs to address its five strategic priorities, including 1) improving swine health information, 2) monitoring and mitigating risks to swine health, 3) responding to emerging disease, 4) surveillance and discovery of emerging disease, and 5) swine disease matrices. The Plan of Work is developed through stakeholder feedback, approved by the SHIC Board of Directors, and guides SHIC’s activities while remaining nimble and responsive to industry needs.
Research provides critical information and resources to help pork producers as they face emerging disease challenges in their swine herds. Research priorities and topics identified in the Plan of Work help SHIC fulfill its mission to generate new knowledge for preventing, preparing, and responding to emerging swine disease threats. Through the formal request described in this document, SHIC is inviting proposal submissions to specifically address 11 of the 36 research priorities and topics published in the 2024 Plan of Work across three of SHIC’s five strategic areas. Proposals will undergo a competitive review process for value to the pork industry by a SHIC working group who will provide funding recommendations.
SHIC’s mission includes analysis of swine health data and targeted research to benefit the US pork industry. The use of tongue tip tissues as a novel diagnostic sample type is relatively new. Diagnostic investigation of tongue tips from stillborn pigs and neonatal mortalities may be used to gain information about PRRSv or other pathogens circulating during gestation and being vertically transmitted from the gestating sow to her litter. Tongue tips might also be used to monitor viral pathogen horizontal transmission in a variety of ages of pigs.
The SHIC 2023 Plan of Work includes:
Research priority: To better understand the potential breadth of tongue tips being used to monitor for emerging diseases, more information is needed about diagnostic test sensitivity or specificity using tongue tip tissues compared to other sample types such as neonate processing fluids; diagnostic lab processing procedures to support reliable, credible test results; comparing different pathogens’ tongue tip test results using whole genome sequencing; and confirming tongue tip test results using virus isolation.
Research priority: If tongue tip monitoring can be used to investigate vertical and/or horizontal disease transmission, more information is needed about how to apply tongue tip monitoring to support recovery from emerging diseases. Therefore, using tongue tips to achieve herd PRRS stability or elimination as a model for an emerging disease response needs to be investigated.
Proposals are capped at $50,000 but individual proposals may be higher with sufficient justification for a project that will be unique, high impact and have industry-wide benefit. Collaborative proposals for focused, timely research concluding in 12 months or less will be prioritized.
The deadline for proposal submission is 5:00 PM CDT, September 5, 2023. The proposal template and instructions for completion can be found under “General SHIC Research Program” at https://www.swinehealth.org/call-for-research/. Proposals can be submitted by emailing them to Dr. Paul Sundberg at [email protected]. For questions, contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at [email protected] or (515) 451-6652 or Dr. Megan Niederwerder at [email protected] or (785) 452-8270.
SHIC, along with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), a non-profit organization established in the 2014 Farm Bill to build public-private partnerships that fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges, and Pork Checkoff, is funding a Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program to be implemented over the next two years. SHIC, FFAR and Pork Checkoff are soliciting proposals to investigate cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols, or ideas to implement biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest phase of production.
DEADLINE: May 14, 2021 – 5 pm CST
Bioexclusion refers to procedures needed to prevent entry of a pathogen or disease and contact with a population of animals (a part of biosecurity).
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) 2021 Plan of Work includes the investigation of bioexclusion as a tool to help prevent or control an emerging swine disease outbreak on farms. SHIC is soliciting proposals to investigate cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols, or ideas to implement bioexclusion to prevent or control an emerging disease outbreak on swine farms. Specifically, SHIC would like proposals that address the following 2021 Plan of Work items:
There is a pool of approximately $150,000 available for the research, but individual project proposals could be higher with sufficient justification. Collaborative projects demonstrating the most urgency and timeliness of completion, as well as efficient use of funds, will be prioritized for funding.
Questions:
Dr. Paul Sundberg
Executive Director
Swine Health Information Center
[email protected]
DEADLINE: May 7, 2021 – 5 pm CST
Biocontainment, as defined in medical dictionaries, usually refers to procedures needed to contain pathogens in laboratories.
“The containment of pathological microorganisms within a well-defined, strictly controlled area, usually a research laboratory.” The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
“In infectious disease laboratories, the process and procedures used to confine harmful microorganisms to the areas in which they are being investigated.” Medical Dictionary, © 2009 Farlex and Partners
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) 2021 Plan of Work includes the investigation of biocontainment as a tool to help mitigate and control an emerging swine disease outbreak on farms: “Decreasing the amount of pathogens from leaving an outbreak site will help to protect neighboring farms and regions from emerging disease outbreaks. Assessing existing technologies or new ideas for cost-effectiveness will help inform producers’ decisions about implementation.”
SHIC is soliciting proposals to investigate cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols, or ideas to implement biocontainment in the face of an emerging disease outbreak on swine farms.
Effective biocontainment methodologies may be applied to a variety of viruses and/or bacteria, may be applied dependent upon expected transmission mode(s), or may be dependent on the epidemiology of the pathogen(s). Therefore, the proposal should:
There is a pool of approximately $100,000 available for the research, but individual project proposals could be higher with sufficient justification. Collaborative projects demonstrating the most urgency and timeliness of completion, as well as efficient use of funds, will be prioritized for funding.
Questions:
Dr. Paul Sundberg
Executive Director
Swine Health Information Center
[email protected]
DEADLINE: August 25, 2020 – 5 pm CST
The mission of the Swine Health Information Center is to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd through coordinated global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data and targeted research investments that minimize the impact of future disease threats.
Oral fluid samples are widely used in swine surveillance for PRRSV, Influenza A virus in Swine (IAV-S), and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae nucleic acids on U.S. farms and have shown the potential for use in Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) surveillance, as well. To date, more than 27 pig pathogens have been shown to produce detectable levels of nucleic acid in oral fluids.
Recent unpublished, observational research indicated oral fluids (as collected by rope as an aggregate sample) could be a good sample for rapid detection of African swine fever virus (ASFv). In a negative cohort study, no false positives were reported. Experimental work indicated that ASFv may be detected in oral fluids prior to onset of clinical signs and even if only a small proportion of animals are infected. However, as the viral load, as measured by CT comparison, was much lower in oral fluids than individual tissue samples, the study indicated false negatives do occur (ASFv not detected in OF when blood/tissue samples were positive). This limits the potential use of swine OF as an official monitoring and surveillance tool in the event of an ASF outbreak in the U.S.
Questions:
Dr. Paul Sundberg
Executive Director
Swine Health Information Center
[email protected]
DEADLINE: April 14, 2020 – 5 pm CST
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council and Swine Health Information Center are asking for proposals to identify gaps in U.S. pork industry national biosecurity that could result in the entry and domestic dissemination of diseases foreign to the U.S. pork industry.
The U.S. pork industry is complex. Categories for consideration of study include, but aren’t limited to, foreign imports, entry of foreign travelers, transportation of animals, common inputs to production and domestic market channels. Examples of national biosecurity issues within these categories could include the safety of imported feed components and other common production inputs, the movement of trucks and animals between production phases and to markets, the approved movements between markets of market sows, the activity of and potential commercial pig interaction with feral pigs, legal feeding of plate waste containing meat and other factors that will need to be identified to fulfill the project. It will the responsibility of the successful proposal to define the specific issues to include.
The objective of this review is to identify biosecurity gaps that could result in the importation and dissemination of diseases foreign to the U.S. pork industry and to objectively prioritize those gaps based on their potential to result in the introduction and spread of swine diseases. The final report will be shared with state and federal animal health officials, pork producers, veterinarians and allied industries for actions needed to address the prioritized gaps.
Proposals are to be submitted via the RFP website in the standard Word, National Pork Board research proposal format and to include a detailed budget and timeline sufficient to fulfill the scope of the project. Proposals detailing thorough work done on a shorter timeline will be given preference.
Proposal Deadline:
The deadline for submitting the written proposals for initial review is 5:00 PM CST, April 14, 2020. Submitters whose proposals are selected for final review will be required to present the proposal and answer questions via a webinar with pork industry reviewers.
Questions:
Dr. Dave Pyburn
Chief Veterinarian
National Pork Board
[email protected]
Dr. Paul Sundberg
Executive Director
Swine Health Information Center
[email protected]
The Swine Health Information Center is soliciting proposals to address the following priorities for African Swine Fever research in Vietnam. The Center is interested in supporting U.S.-based researchers with research memorandums of understanding or direct contacts with university or pork production animal health researchers in Vietnam. Proposal may be completely Vietnamese laboratory and/or field based or may contain a U.S. laboratory component (non-USDA laboratory only) but, if that is proposed, it must also include a field validation or field trial component in Vietnam. The objective of these researchable priorities is to help Vietnamese pork production respond and recover from the ASF epidemic and to help U.S. pork producers learn lessons about ASF epidemiology and management, in preparation should the virus enter the U.S.
There is a pool of approximately $1,000,000 available for the research, averaging $100,000 per project but individual projects should be expected to be lower or higher. Collaborative projects demonstrating the most urgency and timeliness of completion, as well as efficient use of funds, will be prioritized for funding.
Please respond with your priority topic(s) of interest via email to [email protected] by March 4, if you intend to submit a proposal. Full proposals should be in the standard Word, SHIC proposal format, which will be sent in response to your confirmation of interest. The full proposal should be no more than three pages to describe the project objectives, procedures to achieve the objectives, a description of the quality assurance/quality control plan, the timeline for the proposed research and the institution’s certification of the proposal. Additional to those three pages are the proposed budget page and letters of cooperation or collaboration with the appropriate Vietnamese researchers. Full proposals should be submitted via email to [email protected]. The deadline for proposal submission is 5:00 PM CST, March 30. For questions, contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at [email protected] or (515) 451-6652.
Research priorities for ASF study in Vietnam, in random order:
• Determining diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of ASF ELISA antibody detection.
• Understanding protocols for biocontainment of initial infection on the farm into one barn, allowing other biosecure barns to remain in production.
• Researching innovative disinfection protocols that result in disinfection and a negative result using a commercially available ASF PCR test.
• Verifying carbon composting materials, time and temperature under different environmental conditions that will result in ASF inactivation.
• Identifying pathways of entry of the virus onto farms to enhance information for improving biosecurity.
• Investigating ASF neutralization during or following composting.
• Investigating biosecurity of feed, feed components and delivery as a risk for ASF introduction.
• Validating protocols for the targeted removal of individually housed sows when infected to move the herd to negative status.
• Researching the possible role of mice and rats as vectors for ASF infection.
• Comparing sensitivity and specificity of pen-side tests for ASF detection.
• Understanding ASF persistence in manure slurries or pits and identifying protocols or procedures to inactivate the virus in this material.
The mission of the Swine Health Information Center is to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd through coordinated global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data and targeted research investments that minimize the impact of future disease threats.
In collaboration with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council, the Swine Health Information Center has developed and prioritized a list of endemic and foreign swine pathogens. Known as the Swine Disease Matrix, the list includes an assessment of the diagnostic capabilities for selected pathogens, based on a review of available literature. The Matrix and the assessment of diagnostic capabilities can be found at www.swinehealth.org.
Organizing and funding the research needed for diagnostic and informational preparedness for the prioritized, potential production diseases of the Swine Disease Matrix is a core activity of the Center. The SHIC 2017 Swine Disease Matrix research focuses on the development and validation (analytic and diagnostic) of antibody detection assays for antibodies important for monitoring for emerging diseases, determining freedom from disease (after an outbreak) or defining the extent of disease spread. The outcome of the research should be assays with a consistent and reliable means to screen populations using:
• the ability to detect antibody in sera and oral fluids,
• high throughput capacity (high volume of samples and quick turnaround time) and
• DIVA capability if vaccine availability justifies the need for a DIVA assay.
The mission of the Swine Health Information Center is to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd through coordinated global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data and targeted research investments that minimize the impact of future disease threats.
In collaboration with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council, the Swine Health Information Center has developed and prioritized a list of endemic and foreign swine pathogens.
Known as the Swine Disease Matrix, the list includes an assessment of the diagnostic capabilities for selected pathogens, based on a review of available literature. The Matrix and the assessment of diagnostic capabilities can be found at www.swinehealth.org.
Organizing and funding the research needed for diagnostic and informational preparedness for the prioritized, potential production diseases of the Swine Disease Matrix is a core activity of the Center. The SHIC 2017 Swine Disease Matrix research focuses on the development and validation (analytic and diagnostic) of antibody detection assays for antibodies important for monitoring for emerging diseases, determining freedom from disease (after an outbreak) or defining the extent of disease spread. The outcome of the research should be assays with a consistent and reliable means to screen populations using:
• high throughput capacity (high volume of samples and quick turnaround time),
• the ability to detect antibody in sera and oral fluids and
• DIVA capability if vaccine availability justifies the need for a DIVA assay.
The Swine Health Information Center is asking for preliminary proposal(s), in a standardized form provided by the Center, from laboratories interested in performing Swine Disease Matrix antigen detection research. The Center is asking for laboratories to identify up to five of the pathogens on the Swine Disease Matrix for which the laboratory has the interest and capacity to conduct the research and then to submit a one-page SHIC preliminary proposal form for each of the pathogens of interest.
Also included in the preliminary proposal(s) for each pathogen should be a brief description of the laboratory’s plan for ensuring that the pathogen will not be introduced into the U.S. if it is not currently endemic. That description could include plans for international collaborations, biosecurity/biocontainment facilities or other methods. The important criteria for selection are the lab’s interest, capacity and biocontainment plan. There is no need to try to select “high priority” viruses for the project.
Preliminary proposals need to be submitted to [email protected] by midnight, June 7, 2016. Please contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at [email protected] if you have any questions.
There are reports of increased discovery of Senecavirus A (SVA) in pigs in the United States and Brazil. The Swine Health Information Center is soliciting proposals to investigate SVA epidemiology and diagnostics capability.
Proposals must be submitted in the required format provided with the RFP in order to be considered. Interlaboratory collaboration that strengthens the proposal will be a factor in funding decisions. All funded projects are expected to be completed within 6 months of funding. Final funding decisions will be made by the Swine Health Information Center.
Proposals should be emailed to [email protected] and must be received by 5:00 PM CDT September 21, 2015.
Further enquiries regarding this solicitation can be directed to Dr. Paul Sundberg by email at [email protected] or by phone: 515-451-6652.
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