The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) released its 2025 Plan of Work, outlining key priorities to protect the health of the U.S. swine herd in the coming year. This follows a year of “unprecedented success,” the organization shared in its recently completed 2024 Progress Report. Not only did SHIC experience a record level of funding for research projects and an increase in research investment, but SHIC is excited to welcome Jessica Stice as its new grant and contract administrator, further strengthening its capacity to support critical swine health research efforts.
2025 Plan of Work: A Proactive Approach to Swine Health Challenges
The 2025 Plan of Work emphasizes a proactive approach to addressing emerging disease threats and enhancing biosecurity measures within the U.S. swine industry.
“We have developed a comprehensive road map for 2025 to address swine health challenges in support of SHIC’s mission and have identified areas where knowledge gaps remain,” SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton said in a release. “One area of focus within the 2025 plan of work includes evaluation of biosecurity at the packing plant/transportation interface to prevent or reduce transmission of pathogens back to the farm. Objective research to identify biosecurity steps on the farm and at the plant can help inform strategies for disease prevention and control.”
The key areas of focus in the 2025 plan include:
• Strengthening Disease Surveillance
Enhancing domestic disease monitoring through robust data collection from veterinary diagnostic laboratories and voluntary reporting programs, such as the Global and Domestic Swine Disease Monitoring Reports.
• Improving Information Dissemination
Providing timely and valuable information to veterinarians and producers through webinars, updated disease fact sheets, and a strong online presence to ensure rapid dissemination of critical information on emerging swine health issues.
• Mitigating Risk Factors
Implementing strategies to mitigate risks associated with high-risk product importation, international travel, and the movement of animals. This includes a focus on enhancing biosecurity protocols during transportation, at packing plants, and within personnel movements between farms.
• Addressing Emerging Disease Threats
Prioritizing research on emerging diseases such as African swine fever, porcine sapovirus, and hemorrhagic tracheitis syndrome. This includes investigating novel diagnostic tools, developing rapid response strategies, and enhancing understanding of disease transmission and impact.
• Advancing Surveillance and Diagnostic Capabilities
Utilizing innovative technologies such as wastewater sampling and tongue tip fluid analysis for enhanced disease surveillance. Investing in genome-based diagnostic technologies to improve early detection and enable rapid and accurate disease identification.
• Prioritizing Research Efforts
Updating and utilizing the swine bacterial and viral disease matrices to guide research investments towards the most critical areas, ensuring that research efforts are strategically aligned with the highest-priority threats to the U.S. swine herd.
Significant Activity in 2024
2024 was filled with significant achievements for SHIC, the organization said. SHIC funded 32 research projects, totaling a record $3,990,689, to address critical swine health challenges in 2024.
SHIC said this significant investment was made possible through leveraging Pork Checkoff funding with external grants and matching funds, maximizing the impact of research dollars and expanding the network of scientists conducting SHIC-funded research.
“SHIC received the greatest number of proposals and awarded the highest dollar amount for research projects in a single year in 2024,” Megan Niederwerder, DVM, executive director of SHIC, said in a release. “This demonstrates the growing recognition of SHIC’s vital role in supporting cutting-edge swine health research and innovation for pork producers.”
SHIC Hires New Grant and Contract Administrator
To further enhance its operational efficiency and maximize the impact of its research investments, SHIC appointed Jessica Stice as its new Grant and Contract Administrator.
“We welcome Jessica to the SHIC team and look forward to her contribution to our mission to protect the health of the U.S. swine herd by exploring and securing additional grant funding opportunities as well as managing related compliance efforts,” Niederwerder said in a release.
She brings a wealth of experience in grant writing, administration, and non-profit management to this crucial role.
“I am thrilled to join the dedicated team at SHIC and contribute to their important mission,” Stice added. “My expertise in grant management will enable SHIC to streamline its funding processes, identify new opportunities, and ensure the efficient and effective utilization of research funds.”
Your Next Read: A Look Behind the Scenes of the 2025 SHIC Plan of Work
