Each year, the Swine Health Information Center updates its Plan of Work developed from stakeholder priorities. The 2026 Plan of Work, which guides SHIC’s activities, contains 25 projects and topics designed to fulfill SHIC’s five strategic priorities: 1) improve swine health information, 2) monitor and mitigate risks to swine health, 3) responding to emerging disease, 4) surveillance and discovery of emerging disease, and 5) swine disease matrices. SHIC’s 2025 Progress Report contains details on the record return on investment for the Center’s activities to protect and enhance the health of the US swine herd, based on Plan of Work deliverables.
Industry stakeholders provide input into the development of the Plan of Work which is then approved by the SHIC Board of Directors. Activities directed by the 2026 Plan of Work will be implemented by Executive Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder and Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton with input from the board and SHIC Working Groups.
Primary funding for SHIC’s 2026 Plan of Work comes from the Pork Checkoff under a contract between both organizations. In 2026, the National Pork Board voted to provide $1.5 million to fund SHIC. SHIC’s 2026 Plan of Work reflects this budget while maintaining its focus on deliverables to the US swine industry and the pork producers who fund the Checkoff.
While the 2026 Plan of Work directs activities for SHIC, the organization is nimble and able to respond to industry needs as they arise. Stakeholder input and ideas are welcomed year-round to inform newly identified industry needs which may necessitate adapting the Plan of Work to fulfill SHIC’s mission. A request for proposals to address 2026 Plan of Work priorities is planned for release later this year.
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