Are We Ready for the Next Foreign Animal Disease?

March 23, 2023 — 

Survey findings present the current status quo of US SHIP participants.

The U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan is a collaborative effort between industry, state and federal entities modeled after the National Poultry Improvement Plan. US SHIP has been specifically organized to meet the unique needs and challenges of the U.S. swine industry. US SHIP is able to use the lessons learned by the NPIP over the last 80 plus years to fast track a plan that addresses the concerns of the swine industry to prevent the introduction of trade impacting diseases such as African swine fever and classical swine fever, as well as respond to and mitigate their impact if found in the United States.

In an effort to understand the current status of biosecurity practices being implemented in the U.S. swine industry, all producers enrolling sites with US SHIP are asked to complete a biosecurity survey. The end goal of the biosecurity survey is to capture and benchmark the biosecurity practices implemented across the swine industry. As of January 2023, 7,902 individual sites (6,784 growing pig, 849 breeding herd, 110 small holding, 58 non-commercial, 50 boar stud, 33 farrow-to-feeder/finish, and 18 packing plants) in 31 states have responded to the survey. The US SHIP biosecurity survey can help guide new program standards and developments.

Through this series of articles, we will convey the survey findings to present the current status quo of US SHIP participants, and how we can use it to better address foreign animal diseases.

Read the story at National Hog Farmer

[Source: National Hog Farmer 21 March 2023]