SHIC’s 2022 Progress Report Details Deliverables to Safeguard Swine Health

US swine herd health is vulnerable to emerging domestic and international swine diseases, as the introduction of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in 2013 clearly revealed. African swine fever, as well as other foreign animal diseases, threaten today. Checkoff funding has given the Swine Health Information Center the opportunity to focus on emerging swine disease risk. SHIC’s 2022 Progress Report, presented to and accepted by the board of directors of the National Pork Board on December 15, 2022, details steps taken in 2022 to achieve the mission of safeguarding the health of the US swine herd.

SHIC’s 2022 Progress Report details how analysis of swine health data during the first six months of the year prompted revision of its 2022 plan of work mid-year to address a vulnerability identified in nursery, finishing, and transport biosecurity. During their June meeting, the SHIC Board of Directors approved the formation of the Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program. Industry-wide task forces helped set research priorities and a national and international call for research proposals to address them was advertised, with work expected to begin this winter. The actions illustrate SHIC’s ability to change direction in quick response to an identified producer need.

SHIC’s international monitoring program alerted it to an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis virus in Australia early in 2022. Australia’s pork producers have lost an estimated 6% to 10% of their production. SHIC has funded a comprehensive literature review focused on the unique serotype of JEV that caused the outbreak and an updated US risk assessment of entry and establishment of the virus. In addition, a SHIC-sponsored seminar brought together Australia’s producers, animal health researchers, and animal and public health regulatory agencies with the USDA, CDC, and US researchers to see what lessons can be learned from the Australian experience to help prevent JEV from getting to the US or, if it does get in, to be prepared to respond quickly.

SHIC is guided by a board of directors made up of pork producers and swine veterinarians who expect timely, practical, and actionable outcomes. Unique among all other meat commodities in the US, or around the world, the US pork industry had the foresight to look for things coming at it instead of waiting and reacting to what happens.

SHIC, launched by the National Pork Board in 2015 solely with Pork Checkoff funding, continues to focus efforts on prevention, preparedness, and response to novel and emerging swine disease for the benefit of US swine health. As a conduit of information and research, SHIC encourages sharing of its publications and research. Forward, reprint, and quote SHIC material freely. SHIC is funded by America’s pork producers to fulfill its mission to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd. For more information, visit http://www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at [email protected].

December 15, 2022

SHIC’s 2022 Progress Report Details Deliverables to Safeguard Swine Health

US swine herd health is vulnerable to emerging domestic and international swine diseases, as the introduction of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in 2013 clearly revealed. African […]
December 12, 2022

SHIC Seeks Infectious Aerosol Biocontainment Strategies

A review of technologies that remove or/and inactivate airborne pathogens found that air filtration, solely consisting of fibrous filters, is currently the only  established and implemented […]
December 6, 2022

December 2022 SHIC eNewsletter

SHIC Seeks Input for 2023 Plan of Work Japanese Encephalitis Virus: US Preparedness Non-Swine Potential Animal Hosts of JEV in North America Post-symposium, SHIC Continues Work on JEV Preparedness and Next Steps SHIC-Funded Project Looking at Vehicle Networks and Disease Dissemination SHIC Rapid Response Teams Stand Ready December Disease Monitoring Reports
November 30, 2022

SHIC Seeks Input for 2023 Plan of Work

The Swine Health Information Center is requesting broad industry input for the 2023 Plan of Work which will guide activities in the coming year. Input may […]
November 18, 2022

Post-symposium, SHIC Continues Work on JEV Preparedness and Next Steps

In October 2022, SHIC sponsored a Japanese encephalitis virus symposium attended by pork producers, veterinarians, animal and public health officials and pork allied industries. The symposium […]