Disease traceability in the U.S. swine industry just got a major upgrade – and it won’t cost producers a dime.
Recently, the USDA awarded Merck Animal Health a contract to supply radio frequency identification tags to sow farms, exhibition groups and state officials at no cost over the next five years. Order tags now.
Why RFID traceability matters now
The U.S. pork industry operates in an environment where a single disease event can ripple across markets quickly. Foreign animal diseases like African swine fever continue to spread globally, and the speed at which officials can trace animal movement during an outbreak directly impacts how quickly the industry can contain it, maintain market access and return to normal operations.
RFID technology provides accurate, electronic identification that allows state animal health officials to make fast and informed decisions. Quicker tracing means smaller impact zones, speedier market recovery and stronger economic stability for U.S. pork producers.
What the program offers
Merck Animal Health is supplying Allflex Half Duplex (HDX) RFID 840 tags at no cost to swine producers through a straightforward online ordering process.
Note: HDX tags will not work for farms that have FDX-only Electronic Sow Feeder Systems. Producers using ESF systems should confirm their equipment’s compatibility before ordering tags.
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