$800,000 USDA Grant to Create Integrative Data Platform for Major Swine Diseases

Sep 18, 2023

A team of University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine researchers led by Kimberly VanderWaal was recently awarded a 4-year, $800,000 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The study aims to create an “integrative data science” platform to predict the ability of PRRSV-2 variants to provoke an immune response and spread across farms. The platform will use interconnected machine learning tools from structural biology, computational immunology, and genomic epidemiology.

The circulation of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus-type 2 (PRRSV-2) is a primary constraint to swine health and production. PRRSV-2 is a rapidly evolving RNA virus impacting roughly 30–50% of breeding farms. With an economic burden of over $600 million in the U.S. alone, PRRSV-2 is the most important endemic disease to the U.S. swine industry.

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Video: The Next Pork Disease Outbreak? How Biosecurity Can Stop It Before It Starts!

The threat of disease outbreaks remains one of the biggest challenges facing pork producers across North America. At the World Pork Expo, I spoke with Rob Hannam, CEO of Farm Health Guardian, to discuss why biosecurity is more critical than ever and how innovative technology is helping producers reduce risk before disease reaches the farm.
In this interview, Rob explains how Farm Health Guardian's advanced biosecurity platform helps pork operations monitor and manage visitor access, track potential disease exposure pathways, and strengthen on-farm biosecurity protocols. With recent outbreaks of diseases such as ASF, PRRS, PED and others continuing to impact global pork production and ongoing concerns surrounding the spread of endemic diseases, proactive prevention measures have become essential for protecting herd health and business continuity.
Learn how digital biosecurity tools can help producers identify risks, improve compliance, and create stronger defenses against costly disease outbreaks. Discover why leading pork operations are adopting technology-driven biosecurity solutions to safeguard animals, employees, and the future of the industry.