AMES, IOWA (RFD NEWS) — Last week, animal health officials confirmed a new case of pseudorabies (PRRS), a previously eradicated foreign animal disease that has the swine industry on high alert. The virus was confirmed in a small commercial herd in Iowa after recent contact with swine from Texas.
The disease was eliminated from U.S. commercial herds in 2004, but can still be found in feral swine.
Officials say the U.S. pork supply remains safe and there is no food safety or public health risk. However, the threat is leading producers to emphasize the need for stronger on-farm biosecurity and coordinated response efforts.
“We know it impacts not only the herd health of the nation, but it impacts the inputs, the competitiveness of us as a nation,” said Michigan pork producer Jo Dykhuis. “But we’ve got to start simple, whether it’s in a broad, rural area where diseases are prevalent. We already know, through our own history as producers, that we can slow and stop disease. This is why this needs to be a producer-led initiative.”
The call comes as the industry continues to work under a national swine health strategy aimed at reducing domestic disease pressure and preventing new threats from entering the herd.
"[We must] clearly define some goals that we want to go toward,” Dykhuis continues. “We don’t know when we’re going to get there, but we want to eliminate PRRS, and we want to eliminate PED, and we want to continue to keep foreign animal diseases and emerging diseases out. I hope all producers will walk that journey. We will all benefit. Going in that direction is going to make a big difference, and it’s a big risk-management tool for our companies as well.”
Producers say the effort is still in the early stages, but could play a key role in long-term animal health and risk management for the industry.
