It was a challenging year for the pork industry, without a doubt. However, we’ve found some highlights over the past 12 months that the pork industry found particularly helpful in areas of production.
Here’s a round-up of our highly-read and valuable articles from 2023:
Livestock and mRNA Vaccines: What You Need To Know
As misinformation regarding the use of mRNA vaccines in livestock filter through social media, there was a need for industry experts to weigh in on the situation.
To further explain mRNA vaccines and shed light on controversies, Dr. Kevin Folta, a molecular biologist and professor at the University of Florida, shares his viewpoint and experience with the technology.
Why These Two Unconventional Farmers are Turning Heads in Iowa
Wild, unconventional, early adopters. It’s not uncommon for Nate Huntley or Josh Nelson to turn a few heads in Wright County, Iowa. The two young men who farm on opposite sides of the county met five years ago when they were elected to the Wright County Soil and Water Conservation District. They quickly realized they had a lot in common — not only did their daughters attend the same dance studio, but they both raise pigs for Smithfield Foods and are passionate about sustainable farming.
Although their journeys to become farmers are quite different, both are rising as leaders in sustainable farming practices.
Read the full story.
The Real Facts About Prop 12 Implementation Modification
As a recap, a California judge moved the final implementation/enforcement of California Prop 12 from July 1, 2023, to Jan. 1, 2024, for the sale of non-compliant whole pork meat, provided that the meat is in the supply chain by July 1.
This announcement about the Prop 12 implementation modification and conflicting media reports have raised confusion among some producers who simply want to know, “What’s in it for me?” National Pork Producer Council’s Chief Legal Strategist Michael Formica sets the record straight.
PRRS Breakthrough: Virus Can Survive and Be Transmitted Through Feed
The sow farm manager was doing everything right from a biosecurity standpoint. The barn was filtered. The farm team adhered to strict mechanical biosecurity protocols for trucks, people, supplies – basically everything you could imagine. The farm had a clean source for animals and semen. But, when the sows stopped eating one day, the manager closed the feed line because he suspected mycotoxins in the feed. He preserved the feed that was left in the bin.
Then, for the first time in history, Scott Dee, DVM, and emeritus director of discovery and innovation at Pipestone Applied Research, discovers PRRS virus can live in feed.
Water-Based Foam Shows Promise as a Method for Swine Depopulation
“In the case of emergencies (e.g., zoonotic diseases, environmental disasters, pandemics, etc.), animal depopulation may be needed to stop disease from spreading as soon as possible. However, the methods currently available for depopulation bring important challenges when considering animal welfare, logistics, equipment, and human mental health; and research in the topic of animal depopulation is largely lacking,” Korényi-Both explains, a DVM candidate in The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and winner of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Top Student Presenter Award at the 2023 AASV annual meeting..
Ohio State’s Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine has been trying to fill knowledge gaps regarding swine depopulation. Korényi-Both set out on a mission to do exactly that with a focus on better understanding he use of water-based foam for depopulation of swine.
