This is my first message following the AASV Annual Meeting. I know it might feel like a distant memory, but I wanted to take a moment to thank you for participating. I hope you found it informative and useful! Of course, like so many things in our lives, our experiences with the pandemic influenced and shaped the meeting agenda as well as the format. It would be wonderful if COVID-19 is a distant memory by the time this goes to publication, but the knowledge gained from the experience needs to be remembered.
In 1996, hurricane Fran was the first major hurricane North Carolina had seen in decades and my first ever. We were without electricity for a little over a week and very unprepared. Our growers were not well prepared either. Some shared generators and rotated them between farms to provide pigs feed and water. There was a big sigh of relief when a semi load of generators arrived at the warehouse. In addition to the electricity issues, we had left the curtains up on the curtain-sided barns only to find that the hurricane had shredded them and left the remains laying in the tree line. It literally took over a year to get them all replaced as the manufacturers could not meet our demand. We learned the hard way that horizontal rain causes feed to mold in feeders and it takes a lot of extra work to dump, clean, dry, and refill them. Subsequent hurricanes have not produced the strong winds of Fran, but we have seen major flooding instead. Each hurricane has presented its own unique set of challenges, and we have learned from each experience. The last one taught us to have fuel reserves stationed on both sides of major rivers, because yes, every single gas station in a 5-county area can either run out of fuel or remain closed for a week!
There will never be a crisis exactly like the one COVID-19 presented, but history tells us that there will be other challenges. I was hopeful that transmissible gastroenteritis would be the last coronavirus I would ever see. Boy have I been disappointed! One take-home message from the Annual Meeting was to have a plan, prepare for the worst, and pray for the best.
In the last issue of the Journal of Swine Health and Production, I talked about the progress that has been made in preparing for a foreign animal disease (FAD). There are still questions to be answered, and probably always will be, but much of the plan is laid out. Are you preparing? Do your producers or production staff understand the importance of early disease recognition and reporting? Do they have a biosecurity or Secure Pork Supply Plan for their farm? Are they prepared to handle at least a 72-hour stop movement? Do they have a plan for mass depopulation and disposal? Do you have a working relationship with your state veterinarian and a firm understanding of their expectations? We are all busy trying to keep pigs healthy, improve production performance, and enhance profitability. It is difficult to set time aside to anticipate and plan for a disaster, be it a hurricane, flood, tornado, infectious disease, feed contaminant, etc, but I would encourage you to do just that. Pick a farm and pretend that it has tested positive for an FAD. Explain what will happen to each pork producer, those caught inside a control zone, and those in a surveillance zone. Discuss how depopulation would occur if necessary or how to obtain a permitted movement if the animals are not infected. Invite your state veterinarian and their staff to participate. Having them there to address questions as they arise will create a better understanding for all involved. There are multiple resources online to assist you in this process.
The mental health and well-being of our colleagues and producers is a real concern, especially in times of crisis. One of the best things you can do to help your clients, friends, and family is to have a plan. Help them to be prepared and keep them informed. Some pork production companies have a contingency plan for an FAD that is reviewed and updated annually. I am sure it is not perfect and unforeseen complications will arise should they ever find themselves in that situation, but it is a great start. For example, North Carolina farms have Storm Preparedness Plans for sow, nursery, finishing farms, and support operations with tasks that begin a week prior to the hurricane’s expected landfall. Although each hurricane brings its own unique learning experience, North Carolina has managed to save more pigs despite their increased severity. Saving pigs certainly reduces stress on all those involved. Do not misunderstand, hurricanes are still stressful events. We know when Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel comes to town, we better prepare to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Please get prepared!
Mary Battrell, DVM
AASV President