The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) are marking three years of successful collaboration to better understand and reduce the risk of African swine fever virus (ASFV) transmission through feed ingredients. Supported by a $650,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA), this five-year project continues to make significant strides in protecting the U.S. swine herd from one of the most serious global animal health threats.
The USDA NIFA-funded research, conducted in partnership with DHS S&T at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), investigates ASFV stability in soybean-based feed ingredients and enhances diagnostic tools to detect virus contamination. The partnership represents a strong model of cooperation between stakeholder organizations and federal agencies, uniting expertise, infrastructure, and shared goals to safeguard U.S. agricultural biosecurity.
Feed biosecurity is an important aspect of overall agricultural biosecurity, as previous research has proven that contaminated feed and ingredients can serve as a source for introduction and spread of transboundary animal diseases. Soybean products, widely used in complete pig feeds, are globally traded and can pose a potential disease introduction risk if imported from ASFV endemic countries or regions.
Led by SHIC Executive Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder in partnership with DHS Principal Investigator Lindsay Gabbert at PIADC, research milestones have been achieved, including:
“The collaboration with DHS at Plum Island, made possible through USDA NIFA support, is an outstanding example of federal–industry partnership in action,” said Dr. Niederwerder. “Together, we are generating science-driven solutions that help protect US swine producers and strengthen agricultural defense across the feed supply chain.”
Data generated through this ongoing partnership helps define the relative risk of different soybean products used in swine feed, supports diagnostic advancements, and informs mitigation strategies for industry and regulatory use. Results are being shared with pork producers, veterinarians, and feed industry stakeholders through SHIC annual reports, peer-reviewed publications, and scientific meetings.
This project is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. 2022-67015-38576 from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture A1181 Agricultural Biosecurity program. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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. Megan Niederwerder at [email protected] or Dr. Lisa Becton at [email protected].
