Swine Health Information Center issues Request For Proposals to Fill H5N1 Research Gaps in Industry-wide Preparedness Efforts

Mar 02, 2026

The Swine Health Information Center is calling for research proposals to fill H5N1 research gaps in industry-wide preparedness efforts. H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza that primarily affects wild birds and poultry, was identified in 2024 as an emerging risk to swine after it was confirmed to have infected dairy cattle in the United States.

The Swine Health Information Center, in collaboration with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and the Pork Checkoff, has issued a second call for research proposals from qualified researchers to address H5N1 risks to swine. SHIC Associate Director Dr. Lisa Becton says this second call is a follow-up to a call issued in 2025.

Quote-Dr. Lisa Becton-Swine Health Information Center:

We did fund 10 projects but there were still some priorities and topics that were unaddressed in that first call for research.Our goal is to have this second round to be able to completely address all of the priorities that were identified as concerns for swine producers.We do know that this virus does affect mammals.

There's a lot of information from the dairy industry on how this virus specifically impacts dairy cattle.There has also been additional work out of USDA looking at smaller studies with swine to try to understand what does this look like clinically in pigs and how would that impact potentially our ability to detect it and to respond to the virus?

However, there are still a lot of questions open for what this virus looks like and its presentation in swine.So, the RFP really is continuing to focus on things like surveillance and introduction.All of these things we need to understand to be able to respond and react if this virus should be found in pigs.

Dr. Becton says collaborative projects including relevant pork industry, allied industry, dairy or poultry industries, academic institutions and/or public/private partnerships, are encouraged and must be submitted by March 24th.The proposal template and instructions for completion and submission can be accessed through a link in SHIC's February eNewsletter at swinehealth.org.

Source : Farmscape.ca

Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.