Key Takeaways for U.S. Pork Producers:
- Proactive Prevention: Monitoring global disease outbreaks around the world provides an early warning system for U.S. biosecurity.
- Data-Driven Insights: The Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report (GSDMR) uses global collaboration to score disease risks monthly.
- Rapid Response: Immediate reporting ensures the industry is prepared for “extraordinary circumstances,” similar to the 2021 ASF outbreaks in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Global swine disease monitoring is critical for U.S. pork producers to prevent multi-billion dollar losses from transboundary animal diseases (TADs). By tracking international outbreaks like African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in real-time, the industry can implement biosecurity measures before these threats reach domestic soil.
Why Should U.S. Producers Monitor Global Swine Diseases?
“The SHIC global disease monitoring reports help U.S. pork producers keep a pulse on the disease status of swine in countries around the world,” says Megan Niederwerder, executive director of SHIC. “It is critical for U.S. pork operations to stay informed and remain vigilant in the interconnected world in which we live. A specific example for use on farm includes awareness around swine disease outbreaks in specific countries to inform down-time protocols for employees post-travel.”
That’s just one of the reasons why the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) Board of Directors recently voted to renew the Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report (GSDMR) agreement with the University of Minnesota through 2027.
This partnership provides:
- Real-time coverage: Scientific and public literature analysis.
- AI Integration: Evaluating AI tools to improve event-based surveillance.
- Global Dashboard: A new digital interface for rapid data visualization.
“Swine diseases that have been introduced into previously negative countries or that have expanded into new geographic regions are high on SHIC’s radar for assessing risk and mitigation to the U.S. herd,” Niederwerder adds. “The global disease monitoring reports highlight these changes and help inform SHIC’s resource allocation towards the greatest risks.”
How the Global Swine Disease Monitoring Report Works
- The GSDMR team researches and engages a network of global collaborators to provide and give context to swine disease reporting and information.
- The team conducts a stepwise screening procedure to identify swine disease-related events that may represent a risk for the U.S. swine industry.
- The team identifies, scores and reports these findings every month.
- A technical team synthesizes and frames each section of the report, interpreting by audience.
- The editing team verifies, edits and expands upon information as needed in collaboration with key technical informants and a network of U.S. and international stakeholders.
- SHIC publishes the report monthly.
Preparedness Through Rapid Response
History shows that transboundary animal diseases (TADs) move fast. From the 2013 PEDV outbreak to the 2021 ASF detection in the Dominican Republic, the GSDMR ensures that when a crisis strikes, the U.S. industry is ready for a rapid, coordinated response.
As TADs evolve and intensify, the need for and usefulness of the GSDMR continues to increase, Niederwerder says.
“TAD events reinforce a core lesson first highlighted during the 2013 porcine epidemic diarrhea virus outbreak: the swine industry requires robust, real-time situational awareness to anticipate, prepare for and respond to emerging threats,” she adds. “The coordinated approach employed by the GSDMR team enhances situational awareness, supports informed decision-making and reinforces national prevention and mitigation strategies against foreign and transboundary animal disease incursions.”
