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Pork producers goal is a healthy food supply

Focus on biosecurity intensifies across pork industry

By LORI BERGLUND - Farm News writer | Oct 25, 2024

-Farm News file photo
One of the biggest concerns on the horizon, according to Russ Euken, Iowa State University Extension livestock specialist, is the threat of African swine fever. To date, there have been no cases of African swine fever detected in the United States. The goal of producers is to keep it that way.

In August, Iowans will line up a hundred-deep under a blistering sun to get one of those amazing Iowa chops cooked up by Iowa Pork Producers at the Iowa State Fair. It’s the one time of year that pork producers really know that they are loved.

In October, some of those same Iowans may drive a little faster down country roads to avoid that hint in the air that says it’s time to empty the pits and apply that nitrogen-rich manure to farm fields in anticipation of another growing season.

If only more Iowans knew and appreciated what Iowa pork producers do to ensure a healthy food supply, rich in lean protein, throughout the rest of the year.

Iowa State University Extension Livestock Field Specialist Russ Euken works with livestock producers full-time to provide a link between university research and farm application.

“From an Iowa State perspective, we continue to meet the needs of producers where they are at,” Euken said. “We have to make sure they have the information that they need. Everybody doesn’t have the same needs and interests, but we try to meet them individually as best we can.”

Animal health and biosecurity are not just buzz words in the industry, but important goals to maintain a safe and productive food chain for consumers, according to Euken.

Keeping out African swine fever

One of the biggest concerns on the horizon, according to Euken, is the threat of African swine fever.

“Looking at the whole industry, and the potential for an animal disease outbreak, African swine fever is the big ones that producers are most aware of,” he said.

To date, there have been no cases of African swine fever detected in the United States. The goal of producers is to keep it that way.

“Obviously, if we can keep it out of the country, that’s a big thing,” Euken said. “It’s been a concern for several years and will continue to be.”

The good news is that African swine fever cannot be transmitted to people, and properly prepared pork products are safe for consumption, according to the USDA. But, because it is so very deadly to swine, it could have major disruptions to the nation’s food supply if the virus were to make it into the country.

The virus has thus far made it as close as the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In response, the USDA created a “protection zone” in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2021. In its September 2021 federal order, interstate movement of live swine, germplasm, and swine products was suspended from those locations. The order was revised in December 2021 to allow processed pork products to be moved in certain situations.

For farmers traveling overseas, the USDA has an online list of recommendations to help keep the virus out. Contact with feral hogs, more common in southern states, should also be discouraged. Among the USDA suggestions, discard or destroy any shoes or clothing worn in areas where the disease is known to exist, or where feral hogs roam. Also, do not enter a domestic swine operation for at leave five days after visiting any areas where the virus may be present.

There is currently no treatment or vaccine for African swine fever. The only way the disease can be stopped is to depopulate all sick or exposed pigs. With an estimated 25 million hogs in Iowa, and nearly 90,000 jobs dependent on pork production, the need for strong biosecurity practices is easy to understand.

Prop 12 is the Law

California Proposition 12 continues to be a focus of concern for pork producers across Iowa and the rest of the nation. In the swine industry, the bill that places severe restrictions on confinement production went into full effect at the beginning of 2024. The law requires most sows to enjoy at least 24 square feet of space per animal in order to be able to market in California.

With the law now upheld, producers face a choice of adapting their operations, or simply not marketing in California.

“It’s been implemented by some producers, but certainly not 100 percent,” Euken said.

Many producers note that smaller areas can actually be conducive to sow and baby pig health. In addition, the cost would also be prohibitive to many producers, as well as consumers.

In California, the regulations are expected to add at least 25 cents per pound to what consumers have to pay for pork selections.

Other states and pork producers have balked at the impact on interstate commerce, but the law has been upheld. Will other states follow suit and enact laws that require more space for confinement animals is a question many are bound to ask. Euken does not see any trend in that area at this time.

“I don’t think a lot of states would even think about implementing anything like that,” he said.

Checking it twice

October is a good time to walk through the winter checklist and make sure all barns and buildings are ready to go for winter, according to Euken. Checklists or seasonal updates are available free of charge on the Iowa Pork Industry Center website.

“We work with producers to offer current information throughout the year,” Euken said. “For example, the winter ventilation checklist is important as they transition from season to season. Producers want to make sure their ventilation system is working and that they are prepared for the season.”

For many, it’s a familiar list of basics, but even seasoned producers can benefit from the written reminders on the checklist. Divided into operational areas, the list includes such things as fans, inlets, soffits, curtains, cooling systems, controllers, and the furnace. A failure in any of the areas can, in a best-case scenario, take extra time to come and fix a problem later or, in a worst-case scenario, have a detrimental effect on animal health.

Checklists are available for both winter and spring seasons. A number of other downloads also provide valuable information for producers. The Contingency Planning: Feed document helps producers plan for events that can derail feed supply unexpectedly.

Another helpful item on the website is the list and map of truck washes that adhere to strict biosecurity practices in order to prevent the spread of disease and keep the nation’s pork population healthy for all. Even with biosecurity in place on individual farms, the truck washes are an important step in a world facing increasing threats in the area of biosecurity.

“I would encourage producers to check out the Iowa Pork Industry Center website,” Euken said. “We also do monthly webinars for pork producers.”