DES MOINES, IOWA (RFD News) — Animal health officials are warning that a previously eliminated swine disease has reappeared in the U.S. commercial herd.
Iowa agriculture officials say pseudo-rabies has been detected at a small commercial swine facility. The virus is highly contagious and often fatal in pigs, but despite its name, it is not rabies and does not impact humans.
Officials say the affected pigs recently came from a herd in Texas. The herd was housed outdoors, and investigators believe the virus was likely transmitted through contact with feral swine, where the disease still exists.
Pseudo-rabies was eliminated from the U.S. commercial herd in 2004, though it has continued to circulate in wild hog populations.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says there is no risk to consumers, noting that pork remains safe to eat and the virus does not present a food safety concern.
Severe drought in South Texas is forcing ranchers to consider cattle sell-offs as feed and water supplies dwindle, threatening herd health and livestock operations.
March 12, 2026 05:09 PM
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Dr. David Anderson with Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension discusses how geopolitical tensions and the Middle East, along with export disruptions in the Chinese market, will shape cattle markets in the months ahead.
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A man accused of orchestrating a nationwide cattle investment fraud scheme has been arrested in California after being on the FBI’s wanted list.
March 12, 2026 11:33 AM
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Ben Kurtzman with American Farmland Trust discusses the growing pressure on farmland and ranchland and the steps being taken to help conserve farms and ranches across the country ,as unrest in the Middle East adds more obstacles for producers.
March 11, 2026 03:18 PM
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Jake Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance offers his perspective on current cattle market conditions and shares advice for producers seeking to stay protected in an uncertain market.
March 10, 2026 03:08 PM
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National Pork Producers Council incoming president Rob Brenneman shares insights from the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, where producers gathered to discuss Farm Bill policy, sustainability, and other priorities for the year ahead.
March 10, 2026 01:44 PM
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