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Swine diseases a concern for pork producers attending World Pork Expo

Domestic swine diseases are a concern for U.S. pork producers gathering in Des Moines for World Pork Expo this week. 

National Pork Producers Council CEO Bryan Humphreys says there continue to be outbreaks of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome.

“I don’t know of a single pork producer that hasn’t struggled with this horrific disease that we call PRRS. And there are other diseases, we’re running into some PEDv issues and other things out there as well.”

NPPC president Duane Stateler, a pork producer from Ohio, tells Brownfield PRRS is destructive.

“It’s one of those things we deal with, there’s no magic pill or magic formula for it at this time, but we’re working towards that.”

Humphreys says adequate research funding is needed in the next farm bill.

“Because the researchers that have worked on addressing and building out biosecurity protocols or vaccines, or even PRRS-resistant pigs, have all been trained via university ag research dollars over the years.”