Listen up swine producers! The USDA wants your knowledge and answers.
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and other agencies are looking for hog producers to complete surveys this June.
The data resulting from these surveys will be valuable to individual operations and the industry.
Swine operations may receive a National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) survey, which looks at health and management practices in the U.S. swine industry. The information from this study is valuable in trade negotiations and in combatting misinformation.
Two components
There are two components to the study: Large Enterprise (operations with 1,000 or more hogs) and Small Enterprise (operations with fewer than 1,000 hogs). As part of the study, Large Enterprise swine operations will have the chance to test their swine for Salmonella, Campylobacter, Enterococcus, E. coli, and Seneca Valley Virus.
The Small Enterprise component will provide information about the more traditional segment of the swine industry and investigate the prevalence of emerging niche marketing practices. For more information, visit: www.aphis.usda.gov/nahms.
Wild pigs
In July, farmers may receive a Feral Swine Livestock Damage Survey that will help understand the impacts to domestic hog and pig operations by wild pigs.
For more information about these surveys contact Jim Barrett at 202-577-7604, or jim.barrett@usda.gov.