October 5, 2023

US National Pork Producers Council initiates swine traceability system update

The US National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has taken the lead in an effort to modernise the existing swine traceability system, following a directive from US pork producers, Farm Journal's Pork reported.

Stakeholders, including swine producers, veterinarians, cull swine and breeding operators, and show pig enthusiasts, are invited to provide feedback on the draft standards by October 27, 2023.

In 2006, US swine producers voluntarily adopted animal traceability standards to enhance the industry's ability to monitor animal movements, with the primary objective of containing the spread of animal diseases, particularly foreign animal diseases like African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, and classical swine fever (hog cholera), as stated by the NPPC.

Scott Hays, NPPC president and a pork producer from Missouri, said there is a need to strengthen the traceability system. He noted that approximately 1 million swine are in transit daily, creating ample opportunities for disease transmission. Given the escalating threat of foreign animal diseases reaching the US, addressing the gaps in the existing traceability system becomes crucial for both farms and the industry.

The discovery of a foreign animal disease in the US would lead to the immediate closure of international markets. Enhancing live-swine traceability serves two critical purposes: it reassures animal health authorities that comprehensive movement data is available, and it demonstrates to trading partners that the US can identify disease-free animals and ensure the safety of exported products.

Hays further emphasised the importance of this initiative for international trade. With international consumers accounting for US$7.7 billion worth of pork consumption, it is imperative to provide trading partners with confidence that disease-free animals can be identified, and products from unaffected farms can be supplied.

The updates to the swine traceability system aim to address several gaps, according to the NPPC. This includes establishing unique ID numbers for breeding stock, including sows and boars, cull animals, and show swine, whose movements are currently challenging to track. The updates will also involve implementing premises registration for all producers, including cull and breeding operations, and show swine farms. Lastly, the updates will enable movement reporting for all swine to a centralised database accessible to animal health officials.

Before finalising the updated standards in early 2024 and presenting a resolution to delegates at the 2024 National Pork Industry Forum in March, the NPPC is actively seeking input from stakeholders.

-      Farm Journal's Pork