Posted June 18, 2012

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), in collaboration with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), is taking an in-depth look at swine operations in the United States to provide the industry with updated information last collected during the NAHMS

 

The graph is just one example of the type of information that will be updated.

Conducted through USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System, theSwine 2012study will contact small and large swine operations to obtain important health management and productivity information to characterize management practices in the swine industry. DuringJuly, NASS will phone or visit random swine operations with 100 pigs or more in 13 states and mail questionnaires to a random sample of swine operations with fewer than 100 pigs in 31 states.

By participating in the Swine 2012 Study, producers can help contribute to:

·         Produce current estimates on management practices, health status and productivity, and describe trends over the last 20 years;

·         Help industry researchers update the economic impact of PRRS;

·         Determine the prevalence of pathogens other countries use as trade barriers; and

·         Help guide future research and education efforts.                                                                               

 

“Swine 2012 will provide the pork industry with valuable information on levels of disease; farrow-to-finish producers; all-in and all-out management; biosecurity practices; etc. I wholeheartedly encourage any producer who can participate in the NAHMS Swine 2012 Study to do so.” explained Jim Niewold, chair of the National Pork Board’s Swine Health Committee and a pork producer from Illinois.

           

As with all NAHMS studies, individual responses are kept strictly confidential and used only in combination with other responses to report regional and U.S. estimates. This assures that no matter the size, participating operations cannot be identified when the results of the study are reported.

 

For additional information, contact the National Agricultural Statistics Service Iowa Field Office at (800) 772-0825 or visit the NASS web site at www.nass.usda.gov to see all NASS reports, as well as a vast array of other data on every facet of U.S. agriculture.