The AASV has received a grant from the US Department of Agriculture to facilitate Certified Swine Sample Collector (CSSC) training of swine producers and increase the number of CSSCs. This grant will support approved training sessions completed before October 1, 2025. To achieve this goal, AASV has contracted with Dr Pam Zaabel to lead this project. I have asked Pam to provide the following summary of the CSSC training program and grant.
Harry Snelson, DVM
Executive Director
Along with federal, state, and local agencies, the swine industry had the opportunity to exercise their response to an African swine fever outbreak during the Swine Fever Exercise for Agriculture Response in 2019. Throughout the exercise, it became apparent that the number of samples required to confirm the health status of premises within a given zone would be a significant bottleneck during a response. The number of samples required quickly outpaced the number of people authorized to collect and submit these samples. During a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak, not only do sample collection requirements increase, but biosecurity and downtime requirements also increase. These increased requirements would be difficult for Foreign Animal Disease Diagnosticians and swine-focused veterinarians to perform the necessary diagnostic investigations and sample collections for the large number of swine farms involved. It will also be impossible for veterinarians to perform the necessary surveillance and other regulatory tasks during an FAD response while also maintaining ongoing herd health and animal welfare programs on their farms.
To address this sample collection bottleneck, the AASV collaborated with the Center for Food Security and Public Health and Swine Medicine Education Center at Iowa State University, the National Pork Board, and the Multi-State Partnership for Security in Agriculture to develop the CSSC training program with funding from the US Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP). The CSSC training program, a national sample collection training program, was developed to increase capacity by allowing the current on-farm labor force to assist in sample collection and submission. Through CSSC, producers, caretakers, and others on-farm become a critical asset during an FAD response. Providing a standardized process for category II accredited veterinarians to train producers, caretakers, and other on-farm employees to correctly collect, handle, and submit samples helps assure state and federal animal health officials of the CSSC’s knowledge and aptitude. Program standards and other CSSC resources are available at securepork.org/cssc.
During 2021, several states conducted pilot projects to implement and evaluate the CSSC training program. Training continues to be introduced on a state-by-state basis. In states which have begun the CSSC program, category II accredited veterinarians train producers or caretakers, or they may train individuals identified by the state animal health official (SAHO) to help build state-level resources. Many of AASV’s members have been active in providing feedback during program development as well as training their clients. However, veterinarians, SAHOs, state pork associations, and university extension personnel have identified lack of funding as one of the main barriers to implementing the CSSC program.
In July 2024, AASV received a new NADPRP grant to provide funding to stakeholders who facilitate CSSC training. Having individuals trained to assist with sample collection on farms of all sizes is essential to facilitate a faster FAD response. Collecting high quality samples on the farm and sending them to the laboratory in a timely fashion will speed up response efforts, assist with FAD diagnosis, and help facilitate business continuity for farms free of infection. Funds from this grant will help build sample collection capacity through distribution of multiple subawards to provide training to producers, caretakers, veterinary staff, extension personnel, and animal health officials. While category II accredited veterinarians are required to perform the actual training according to the CSSC program standards, other veterinarians, SAHOS, state pork associations, and university extension personnel can help organize or facilitate CSSC training to help producers of all sizes prepare for an FAD outbreak and response. Different approaches can be used to offer CSSC training, whether a group approach or on a farm-by-farm basis, and this NADPRP grant and subaward process will support that flexibility.
Veterinarians, SAHOs, state pork associations, and extension personnel are eligible to apply for a CSSC training program subaward by submitting an application before October 15, 2024. All applications will be reviewed and evaluated based on the training description, training compliance with the program standards, the training evaluation process, and cost effectiveness of the training. Those stakeholders selected to receive subawards will have until October 1, 2025, to complete their CSSC training sessions. Once the CSSC training is complete, subaward recipients are required to submit a final report to receive reimbursement. For additional information on the CSSC training program funding subawards or to submit an application, visit aasv.org or contact Dr Pam Zaabel at zaabel@aasv.org.
Pam Zaabel, DVM