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Jennifer Shike

As the brand leader of Farm Journal’s PORK and host of “The PORK Podcast,” Jennifer Shike pairs her deep animal science expertise with a heart for the people in the pork industry. Her work is a vital resource on swine health and biosecurity, reporting on threats such as PRRS, PED and African swine fever. By keeping a close watch on national and state policy, she translates trade deals, California’s Proposition 12, environmental regulations and farm bill updates into what they mean for American pork producers.

Latest Stories
2021 was a phenomenal year for pork producers, CoBank’s Brian Earnest says. Live hog value as a percent of retail pork value was nearly 35% at one point. This year appears set to return similar, if not better, results.
A fourth pork packing plant has been approved to run faster line speeds under the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) one-year trial program.
A vaccine candidate for African swine fever passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability, say USDA scientists.
A 1.9% year-over-year drop in the U.S. swine breeding herd, combined with ongoing productivity challenges, will limit 2022 U.S. hog slaughter and remain supportive to nearby markets, says Christine McCracken, Rabobank.
What would you do if an activist showed up on your farm? How would you respond if an extremist broke into your barn? No one wants to imagine themselves in this position, but experts agree it’s important to be prepared.
World-renowned ASF researcher Douglas Gladue of USDA’s ARS will be recognized by the Arthur S. Flemming Commission for his outstanding service in the field of science.
Although the meaning of sustainability has been subjected to a variety of interpretations, Animal Agriculture Alliance points out it is critical to understand sustainability is a continuous journey, not a destination.
Herd health challenges and higher costs are expected to slow global pork production growth, limiting global pork availability and helping to boost expected hog prices, Rabobank says in its Global Pork Quarterly report.
According to the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System data collected in 2019, the majority of Salmonella isolates collected from humans were not resistant to any of the antimicrobials tested under NARMS.
Experts say Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) will impact Australia’s pork supply as there are now 30 infected piggeries in New South Wales experiencing production losses of up to 80%.