With the first case of H5N1 in swine confirmed in swine, the National Pork Producers Council has a message for consumers. “There is no concern about the safety of our pork supply,” said Lori Stevermer, president, NPPC. The Oregon case came from a small backyard-type farm and not a large commercial swine operation in Minnesota or Iowa. “Influenzas are common in swine and actually there is a fairly robust influenza surveillance program that has been going on for awhile. I think that active and continious surveillance really allows our animal and human health people to respond properly to these situations.” Stevermer, who farms in southern Minnesota, said the pork industry is among the best when it comes to biosecurity.
