Minnesota Pork Producers Asked to Take an Important Step

January 20, 2016 — 

Minnesota pork producers can take a leadership position if they support a new voluntary program being brought forth by their state organization’s board of directors. The Minnesota Board of Animal Health Partnership Proposal for PRRS/PED Control will help identify the health status of the approximately six million finishing pigs that come into the state every year. [Source: Pork Network, JoAnn Alumbaugh January 19, 2016]

Dr. David Wright, DVM, with Wright Veterinary Services, Buffalo, Minn., outlined the program during a session at the Minnesota Pork Congress on Tuesday this week. He said, “Fifteen million pigs are finished in Minnesota each year and of those, about six million come from other states and another million come from Canada.”

Supporters believe the program will: help identify the PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) and PED (Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea) status of the pigs entering the state; assist in outbreak investigations; encourage vet-to-vet communication, and; inspire more regional transparency.

According to a handout at the meeting, PRRS and PED continue to plague the pork industry in Minnesota, despite reduced prevalence nationwide. The proposal is intended to improve PRRS and PED control.

The purpose of the proposal is “to partner with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health to gather information about PRRS and PED status of pigs entering Minnesota that could lead to a better understanding of the dynamics of disease control,” according to the handout.

The proposal would be a partnership with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health to gather information about the PRRS and PED status of pigs entering Minnesota that could lead to a better understanding of the dynamics of disease control. It’s not a “top-down” program, states Wright. Rather, “It’s just another opportunity for us to gather more information to determine area risk and participate in outbreak investigations,” Wright said.

Confidentiality guidelines would preclude officials from pinpointing premises, however Wright noted that it is “legal and possible” to use a zip-code map and it would be easier to summarize the information. Most importantly, the information would be posted on a website that veterinarians and producers could access. It would identify new or existing areas to which PRRS- or PED-positive pigs have been placed from outside the state, to assist in risk assessment and outbreak investigation.

The voluntary program will not restrict any pigs from entering the state. The handout stated, “All pigs, regardless of status, can still enter the state – no movement restrictions would be imposed.”

Wright said the next step is to present the proposal to all producers in Minnesota. If producers are supportive, the MPPA board of directors and executive committee will then present the proposal to the state’s Board of Animal Health.