Investing in Swine Health Research

The Swine Health Information Center and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funded six new projects to address a potential disease risk in pigs. Swine Health Information Center Executive Director Megan Niederwerder said the United States is currently negative for Japanese Encephalitis Virus. “However, the Swine Health Information Center identified it as a potential risk to the U.S. based on its geographic distribution and range that expanded in 2022,” said Niederwerder. “JEV has historically been maintained in Southeast Asia and Pacific Island nations, but in 2022 it expanded into new regions of Australia. Based on that finding, the Swine Health Information Center wanted to fund research to help inform our industry about how we can prevent and prepare for a JEV incursion.” This mosquito-borne virus primarily impacts sow breeding herds.