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SHIC Presents Biosecurity-Focused Special Session at NAPRRS/NC229 Conference

November 15, 2023 — Paul Sundberg

During the 2023 NAPRRS/NC229 International Conference of Swine Viral Diseases (ICSVD), the Swine Health Information Center will present a special session, "Biosecurity in the US Swine Industry." SHIC invited four principal investigators of projects funded through its Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program to speak. The presenters for the session will be introduced by SHIC Executive Director Dr. Paul Sundberg. Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder will start the session by sharing the rationale for the research program and its related efforts to help producers fill this biosecurity gap.

SHIC's Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Research Program, funded with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Pork Checkoff, addresses biosecurity gaps in the US swine herd. Launched in fall 2022, the Wean-to-Harvest Biosecurity Program maintains the goal of investigating cost-effective, innovative technologies, protocols, or ideas to enhance biosecurity during the wean-to-harvest phases of swine production for the benefit of pork producers.

Presenters during SHIC's special session at the NAPRRS/NC229 ICSVD include:

Swine Disease Monitoring and the Need for Enhanced Wean-To-Harvest Biosecurity - Megan Niederwerder, Swine Health Information Center

Development and Evaluation of an Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP) prototype to Mitigate Airborne Spread of Pathogens Under Farm Conditions - Montserrat Torremorell, University of Minnesota

Rerouting Between-farm Transportation Vehicle Movements to Minimize the Dissemination of Endemic and Emerging Diseases in North America - Gustavo Machado, North Carolina State University

Ensuring Site and Transportation Biosecurity Using Bioluminescence - Dustin Boler, Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd.

Industry-wide Assessment of Bioexclusion Practices in Wean-To-Harvest Sites, and Development and Validation of a Rapid Risk Assessment Bioexclusion Tool - Gustavo Silva, Iowa State University

NAPRRS/NC229 ICSVD was first held in 2003. The event brings together swine industry researchers, professionals, and field practitioners. Though inspired by PRRS-related concerns, the conference has expanded to include emerging and transboundary swine disease topics. This year's conference is being held November 30-December 2 at the InterContinental: Chicago Magnificent Mile.

The Swine Health Information Center, launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, protects and enhances the health of the U.S. 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 www.swinehealth.org or contact Dr. Paul Sundberg at psundberg@swinehealth.org or Dr. Megan Niederwerder at mniederwerder@swinehealth.org.

Paul Sundberg, Executive Director, Swine Health Information Center