SHIC Executive Director Among US Delegation Representing Pork Industry at 92nd WOAH General Session

The 92nd General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates for the World Organisation for Animal Health recently convened from May 25 – May 29, 2025, bringing together international animal health authorities to establish global standards impacting livestock industries worldwide. The US pork industry was well-represented within the US delegation, underscoring the critical role of international collaboration in safeguarding domestic swine health and trade. Delegation members representing the US pork industry included Dr. Megan Niederwerder, executive director, Swine Health Information Center, Dr. Dusty Oedekoven, chief veterinarian, National Pork Board, Dr. Anna Forseth, director of animal health, National Pork Producers Council, and Dr. Liz Wagstrom, consultant, National Pork Producers Council. 

The General Session of the World Assembly, comprising delegates from WOAH member countries, convenes at least annually, with the General Session held over five days each May in Paris, France. Delegates are responsible for adopting international standards in animal health, with a strong emphasis on facilitating international trade, electing WOAH’s governing bodies, adopting resolutions pertaining to the control of major animal diseases, examining and approving annual reports, and appointing the Director General of WOAH. Delegates also explore ways WOAH can collaboratively shape a sustainable future for global animal health and welfare. 

The General Session’s comprehensive agenda featured an Animal Health Forum on Vaccines and Vaccination. Taking place over the first two days of the General Session, the Forum on Vaccines and Vaccination was structured around vaccine adoption as an outcome of vaccine availability, vaccine access and vaccine demand at both the farm and national level. Plenary sessions also covered the activities of the Wildlife and Antimicrobial Resistance Working Groups, as well as updates from the Terrestrial Animal Health Standards, Aquatic Animal Health Standards, and Biological Standards Commissions. 

Given WOAH’s designation as the global authority on animal health, the standards developed and adopted during the General Session directly influence US swine producers through their impact on international trade and disease control strategies. Consequently, having Drs. Niederwerder, Oedekoven, Forseth, and Wagstrom serve as delegation members representing the US viewpoint provides benefits to the domestic swine industry.  

A significant focus for all US pork industry representatives was activities and discussions on African swine fever, including their attendance at a special session dedicated to ASFV regionalization and zoning. The Special Session hosted by the USDA (USA), CFIA (Canada), and SAG (Chile) covered the processes and application for ASF regarding regionalization and zoning, the application of zoning during an outbreak to support trade, and the development of zoning protocols. This critical discussion highlighted ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of ASF and facilitate safe trade in the context of disease outbreaks. In addition, the WOAH ASF vaccine standard was adopted during the meeting and is available for review here. The standards are focused on development and production of safe and effective ASFV vaccines as a part of the strategy to control ASF globally.  

The WOAH Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes are foundational documents that provide internationally recognized standards for improving animal health and welfare, and veterinary public health. These codes include provisions for safe international trade in animals and animal products. Complementary manuals provide standardized approaches for the diagnosis of diseases listed within these codes. Diseases of particular concern to swine producers, explicitly addressed in the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, include African Swine Fever virus, Classical Swine Fever virus, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus, Foot and Mouth Disease virus, Pseudorabies virus, and zoonotic diseases such as Japanese Encephalitis virus. 

Further details regarding the 92nd WOAH General Session are available here.  

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].