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Avoid 'ASF Fatigue' During Pig Showing Season

By Julie Harker

As the summer fair season ramps up, biosecurity should be top of mind for those who show animals, especially in the case of swine, where keeping African swine fever out of the country is a top goal.

University of Missouri Extension veterinarian Cory Bromfield said she’s noticed less concern overall about African swine fever (ASF) among pork producers and those who show pigs. She calls it “ASF fatigue.”

“Producers have heard about African swine fever since 2018, when it was reported in China,” said Bromfield. “Over the next year or two it was often in the news, infecting a new country, and we were responding in the U.S., wanting to prevent it from coming here. Lately, it’s made it to the Western Hemisphere (Haiti and Dominican Republic), but people act like they’ve heard everything there is to hear about ASF. Because the U.S. hasn’t gotten it yet, it seems easier for them to ignore.”

Bromfield has noticed less motivation to work on things like the Secure Pork Supply Plans that can help prevent ASF in the U.S.

“We do have people who can help producers and pig owners with the Secure Pork Supply Plan,” she said. “Our National Animal Disease Preparedness Response Program federal grant pays for extension specialists to assist producers in creating their plans. It still requires input from them, but much more of the time-consuming portion can be taken off their plate.”

MU Extension is working with the Rapid Access Biosecurity (RAB) app(opens in new window), a database developed at North Carolina State University that will store the plans and make it easier for state animal health officials to make decisions in the case of an outbreak. Independent Missouri producers are urged to go through MU Extension to use the app.

How to get started with the RAB app

1. Contact the Missouri Department of Agriculture to register your farm. Call 573-751-3377 or go to agriculture.mo.gov/biosecurity(opens in new window).

2. Contact one of the MU Extension specialists listed below for assistance with the RAB app and the Secure Pork Supply Plan (www.securepork.org(opens in new window)).

What to do on-farm now

Especially now in fair season, there are easy things that people can do to improve their biosecurity, which will help not only in the case of ASF but will also help minimize transmission of the diseases we currently have in the U.S., said Bromfield.

• Dedicated clothing. People taking animals to fairs should wear dedicated clothing and footwear at the fair and not bring the same clothes/footwear home to their other animals. This is also an important practice around animals staying on the farm. Dedicated clothing and footwear that doesn’t leave your farm also help minimize the chance of bringing something back to the farm.

• Isolate animals after the fair. If animals are returning to the farm after the show, they should be housed away from the home herd for at least two weeks and worked with after working with the home herd. Even better are terminal shows, where the animals will not return to the home herd.

• Bring home animals only. Don’t bring anything from the fair that doesn’t need to come home, such as food, shavings or manure, for example. Wash the trailer to clean off manure. Always wash your hands after interacting with animals.

Source : missouri.edu

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“From Pork Production to Performance Nutrition: A Candid Conversation with One of the Industry’s Most Unconventional Thinkers”

CEOs of the Industry, we sit down with Rob Brenneman, the visionary behind Brenneman Pork, for an unfiltered, in-depth conversation on leadership, survivability, nutrition, and the future of pig farming.

Rob shares how a deep-rooted commitment to **health—both animal and personal—**drives his philosophy and decision-making. From reshaping pork nutrition and advocating for the return of well-marbled, flavorful pork to confronting the ongoing battle with PRRS and other health threats, Rob’s insights reflect decades of hands-on experience and bold innovation.

Key themes include: Nutrition Reimagined: Why the industry went off course—and how Brenneman Pork is leading change by prioritizing gut health, fat quality, and real performance.

Health & Survivability: Rob’s take on biosecurity, disease management, and the systems and protocols that protect both pigs and profitability.

Well-Marbled Pork as Premium Protein: The science, consumer insights, and culinary feedback behind Rob’s mission to reintroduce pork as a premium, flavorful protein.

Sustainability & Farm Culture: How Brenneman Pork balances environmental responsibility with day-to-day positivity and resilience.

Generational Impact: Strategies to attract, inspire, and retain the next wave of pork producers with pride and purpose.

Plus, a fast-paced finale where Rob shares his top pork pick, leadership lessons, and what he’d change overnight in the industry.

Whether you're a producer, nutritionist, policymaker, or future leader, this episode offers a masterclass in where pork production is headed—and how visionaries like Rob are shaping it.