The U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan, also known as SHIP, is designed to protect the pork industry from foreign animal diseases.
Jason Probst, a National Pork Producers Council Delegate, has been involved in SHIP since its early stages and highlights its critical role in maintaining market stability.
According to Probst, “The U.S. SHIP idea started back in probably 2019-2020 by some of the vets in the industry. They were looking at the concern with foreign animal disease coming to the U.S., mainly African swine fever and classical swine fever. And so, there’s concern of if it came to the U.S., what would that do to our exports of product. Because if those foreign animal diseases are found in the U.S., that would immediately stop our exports of pork products, and so, in turn, approximately 25% of our production would stay domestically and would kind of potentially overburden our markets.”
He says that producers must follow specific biosecurity practices to get certified under SHIP. It will help producers prioritize product movement during a foreign animal disease outbreak.
FWSSR Communications Director Matt Brockman discusses the event’s competitions, safety preparations, and family-friendly activities during the opening weekend.
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Despite rising costs and growing food insecurity, meat demand remained strong in 2025 as higher-income consumers offset cutbacks elsewhere. Economists break down the K-shaped economy, upcoming USDA cattle reports, livestock production outlooks, and renewed debate over beef imports and country-of-origin labeling heading into 2026.
January 20, 2026 02:47 PM
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