In the November and December 2017 issue of the Journal of Swine Health and Production, I described the formation of the Swine Disease Response Council.1 The Council, patterned after the Pseudorabies Control Board active during the pseudorabies virus (PRV) eradication efforts in the 1990s, was charged with providing recommendations regarding responding to emerging diseases.

During the Council’s most recent meeting on December 18 in Des Moines, the group’s name was changed to the National Swine Disease Council (NSDC) and the charge was expanded to include any diseases significantly impacting the US swine industry including foreign animal diseases (FAD). The mission of the NSDC is to provide recommendations to animal health officials and industry stakeholders to mitigate threats and negative impacts to the US pork industry from diseases of concern. While the recommendations do not carry regulatory authority, they will be developed in coordination with regulators familiar with the industry in an effort to harmonize response activities.

The makeup of the Council remains unchanged and is comprised of key industry leaders addressing distinct areas of swine science expertise. The NSDC leadership includes representatives from the National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Institute, Swine Health Information Center, American Association of Swine Veterinarians, and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as state animal health officials.

The Council’s focus will be to provide recommendations, in collaboration with state and federal animal health officials and other industry stakeholders, to respond to swine diseases. The change in the Council’s mission recognizes that any disease could potentially threaten herd health and negatively affect the US pork industry and the response to those diseases would benefit from an industry and government collaborative approach. The Council’s focus specifically includes:

• Outbreaks of foreign and emerging diseases in the United States,
• Outbreaks of non-regulatory diseases in the United States, and
• Foreign or emerging diseases that are not present in the United States but pose a significant threat to US pork production if introduced.

Outbreaks of foreign animal and regulatory diseases

In the event of an outbreak of a World Organization of Animal Health-listed FAD or current or future regulatory disease (eg, pseudorabies, swine brucellosis), state and federal animal health officials have regulatory authority to lead the response. The NSDC will play a supportive role developing recommendations prior to or during an outbreak that will help achieve USDA’s response goals, which are:

• Detect, control, and contain the disease in pigs as quickly as possible;
• Eradicate the disease using strategies that seek to stabilize animal agriculture, the food supply, the economy, and protect public health; and
• Provide science- and risk-based approaches and systems to facilitate continuity of business for non-infected animals and non-contaminated animal products.

Outbreaks of non-regulatory emerging diseases

In the event of an outbreak of a non-regulatory emerging disease of concern, the NSDC will use a standardized process to coordinate state-federal-industry cooperative efforts to identify, characterize, prioritize, and respond to the outbreak. The NSDC will facilitate the development of recommended response actions and identify the responsible parties and funding mechanisms necessary to implement the recommended actions needed to better protect the US swine herd.

Threats to US pork production from foreign or emerging diseases

In the event there is a disease of concern that threatens the US pork industry but is not present in the United States, the NSDC will analyze available information to develop the context and situational awareness to determine appropriate response recommendations. The NSDC will identify the responsible parties and funding mechanisms necessary to implement the recommended actions needed to better protect the US swine herd.

Following the successful eradication of PRV from the US commercial swine herd, the Pseudorabies Control Board was disbanded effectively ending any structured industry-driven collaboration with state and federal animal health officials on disease outbreak response. The NSDC is an effort to revitalize that critical role. The Council will be an integral part of analyzing future disease outbreaks and providing a structured opportunity for stakeholder and government collaboration on the response strategy. While non-binding, the recommendations of the Council should carry considerable weight given the makeup of the Council and the collaborative nature of the interactions.

Harry Snelson, DVM
Director of Communications

Reference

1. Snelson, H. Swine industry implements group to address emerging diseases. J Swine Health Prod. 2017;25(6):333-334.