Science Helps Find Answers

Since the Pork Checkoff began, behind-the- scenes efforts have helped provide producers and others with science-based information upon which to make decisions about animal well-being issues, food safety, the environment, animal science and production and swine health.

The successful eradication of pseudorabies virus (PRV) from the domestic swine herd is one of the swine health success stories during Checkoff's history (see page 35).  Pork producer representation on the PRV Program Standards Committee, the National PRV Control Board, the PRV End Game Plan Committee and the groups that continue to actively develop and implement national plans for surveillance ensured that the products of these efforts have been based on producer input.

One of the keys to the successful eradication program was the ability of the sTastes to identify pork production sites and quickly react to a PRV outbreak.   Effective action meant limiting the impact of the outbreak, and therefore, speeding recovery. 

And this is really no different than the current effort to encourage pork producers to register their production premises with their sTaste (see page 33) as part of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS).  The goal of NAIS is to be able to trace an animal back to its herd of origin within 48 hours. 

This is an important part of the national animal health response system that is being put into place to quickly respond and recover from an accidental or intentional introduction of a foreign animal disease.

Behind the scenes, the Pork Checkoff has been actively testing animal identification systems that have the ability to provide the information required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a manner that doesn't add to the current identification program costs that producers already have as part of the intersTaste movement identification information that has been in place since 1988. 

A Swine Identification Implementation Task Force made up of pork producers, animal health officials, packers and processors and other industry segments has been formed to provide guidance. 

Two producer members of the Task Force also represent the industry on a USDA animal identification subcommittee that gives USDA input on identification plans and implementation. Pork Checkoff staff and producer volunteers spent hundreds of  hours ensuring that producers have a voice in the process.

The Swine ID Task Force has said that the future of the pork industry and individual producers depends on an effective swine ID system that will enable quick, effective animal disease response and recovery.  The first step to an effective animal identification system is premises identification and registration.