A United Front: Building a National Swine Health Strategy for U.S. Pork Producers

Jul 01, 2025

The health of the U.S. swine herd is critical to every pork producer’s livelihood and the industry’s future. Producers battle both everyday endemic diseases and the looming threat of foreign animal diseases (FADs) that could devastate their livelihoods. That’s why the National Pork Board (NPB), working together with key industry partners like the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), is actively developing a comprehensive National Swine Health Strategy.

This isn’t just another initiative; it’s a producer-driven effort designed to protect and improve the health of the U.S. swine herd. Pork producers’ responses are critical! They can participate in this collaborative industry effort to shape the future of swine health by completing this short online survey before September 1, 2025.

Meredith Petersen, DVM, PhD, MPH, and director of swine health for NPB, recently highlighted the urgency and said, “NPB recently conducted a producer survey, and 98% of producers identified swine health as important to the future success of the industry.” This feedback shapes NPB’s three-year strategic plan, which aims to improve the lives of pigs and people, with a clear goal of achieving a measurably healthier swine herd.

Anna Forseth, DVM, director of animal health for NPPC, emphasizes the need for a broader perspective. She said, “It was time to re-evaluate the six African swine fever priorities and potentially broaden the scope of the topics we work on.” This new strategy will address a wider range of health challenges.

Patrick Webb, DVM, assistant chief veterinarian for NPB, underscores the importance of smart resource allocation. “Pork producers care about the health and welfare of the pigs they raise. Endemic diseases pose real challenges that tangibly affect the pigs’ health, production, and the producers’ bottom line,” he said. “Looking at the numerous opportunities to improve swine health across the industry, these national resources must be allocated strategically to provide the best return on investment, and that is where the National Swine Health Strategy comes in.”

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Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.