Temperatures neared 90 degrees in Des Moines, Iowa, during the 2017 World Pork Expo, and one hot topic coming from the Pork Checkoff camp was the development of a Secure Pork Supply plan, to help America’s pig farmers respond quickly and successfully to a major threat, such as a foreign animal disease. The plan will enhance communication and coordination of all pork chain segments to help producers keep their farms operating and all related business activities functioning.

Basics of the plan that will help producers achieve this include implementing sound biosecurity, using premises identification tags, keeping detailed production records and maintaining all necessary health papers and certificates.

“As a pork producer, I want to be ready when it’s time to sign up as a participant in the Secure Pork Supply program,” says Terry O’Neel, National Pork Board president from Friend, Neb. “In the meantime, let’s all prepare by ramping up our farms biosecurity measures and other steps so we’ll be ready to go.”

The Secure Pork Supply plan is the result of ongoing collaboration between the USDA, the NPB, the National Pork Producers Council, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and academia as well as other state and federal partners.