Background Information:
A 12-month case study on the long standing National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) commissioned by the Swine Health Information Management Center (SHIC) was completed in 2019.
The findings of the case study suggest the basic tenets and approach used by NPIP could serve as a road map for pork producers and packers (slaughter facilities) interested in more directly and systematically addressing the major swine health issues of high consequence and better positioning the future of the US pork industry in the domestic and global marketplace.
Summary of Case Study on NPIP
Case Study Report
US SHIP Pilot Project Moving Forward:
US SHIP is a USDA Veterinary Services sponsored pilot project being pursued with support of state and industry partners. US SHIP has received endorsements of support by the United States Animal Health Association, American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, and the North American Meat Institute.
The principal objectives of this endeavor are to develop and implement an African Swine Fever (ASF)-Classical Swine Fever (CSF) Monitored Certification Program modelled after the basic tenets of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) H5/H7 Avian Influenza Monitored certification held by greater than 99% of US Commercial Poultry operations.
The US SHIP ASF-CSF Monitored certification aims to mitigate risks of disease introduction and provide a practical means for demonstrating evidence of freedom of disease (outside of foreign animal disease control areas) in support of ongoing interstate commerce and a pathway towards the resumption of international trade over the course of a trade impacting disease response and recovery period. The pictorial below attempts to succinctly describe US SHIP’s core mission and operational structure being patterned after NPIP’s well-established and time-honored record of success.
Partnering to Safeguard Animal Health
“Pathway for improving swine health and preparedness across the US pork industry”
Industry, State, & Federal Partnership
US SHIP Program Standards:
- Informed by a congress of US pork industry participants
- Applicable across the broad spectrum of various types of pork production operations
- Center on Biosecurity, Traceability, and Sampling and Testing
US SHIP Certification:
- Certificates are held by producers and packers
- Intended for all types of pork producers i.e. large, small, exhibition/youth)
In total, US SHIP will establish a national playbook of technical standards and associated certification recognized across participating states that centers on disease prevention and demonstration of freedom of disease outside of control areas in support of animal health, commerce, and trade
US SHIP is being developed in such manner that the experiences gained and operations established through the pilot build the foundation for a sustainable and officially recognized platform for safeguarding, certifying, and bettering the health of US swine and longer-term competitiveness of the US pork industry.
NPIP has evolved over many years in such a way that participation in this voluntary poultry health program (facilitated by the USDA APHIS) is essentially universal among commercial-scale poultry and egg production operations and slaughter facilities across all 50 US states.
Obtaining a critical mass of participation in US SHIP is a foundational element necessary towards being able to make tangible progress towards protecting, improving, and being able to represent the health status of pig production operations across supply chains, areas, states, and regions. The pace and fate of ramping to full implementation of this precedent setting effort in support of the US pork industry will largely be determined by US pork industry stakeholder urgency and interest.
The time for such a national strategy is now!