BioSec Bob here on Friday, September 11, 2026 — let’s get right into it.
The Swine Health Information Center is getting folded into the National Pork Board by year’s end, according to American Ag Network. The consolidation brings together two organizations that have historically worked in separate lanes — SHIC focused on disease surveillance and research, the Pork Board handling market development and producer services. The move aims to streamline how swine health data flows to producers and create a single coordinated voice on disease management and biosecurity initiatives across the country.
Over on the poultry side, researchers are looking at medicinal plants as alternatives to antibiotics under a one-health framework, Bioengineer.org is reporting. The work recognizes that antibiotic use in poultry production has direct spillover effects on human medicine, and some herbal compounds show promise in reducing bacterial load and improving flock performance without the same resistance concerns. The research sits at the intersection of animal health, public health, and sustainability — all pressures that commercial operations are weighing more carefully these days.
Back to swine health now — National Hog Farmer reports that a new cell growth platform is accelerating African swine fever research. The platform allows scientists to culture ASF virus more efficiently in laboratory settings, which speeds up vaccine development and testing protocols. That’s significant because ASF remains the single biggest biosecurity threat to the U.S. swine herd, and any tool that shortens the research cycle has real value for domestic producers monitoring their herds.
The Association of Swine Veterinarians in Brazil has launched a biosecurity campaign specifically targeting pig farmers, The Pig Site is reporting. The campaign emphasizes practical on-farm protocols — feed sourcing, vehicle sanitation, worker protocols, perimeter security — with the stated goal of reducing disease introduction risk. While Brazil’s situation is distinct from U.S. operations, the biosecurity fundamentals apply across borders, and the campaign model is worth producers’ attention.
Shifting to poultry planning, WATTPoultry.com notes that artificial intelligence is being deployed to refine production forecasting and resource allocation in broiler and layer operations. AI models trained on historical performance data, weather patterns, and market conditions are helping producers optimize stocking decisions, feed purchase timing, and facility management. It’s not replacing human judgment, but it’s giving operations a sharper view of what’s coming.
Finally, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is tracking a surge in swine flu cases in India. The spike has raised regional biosecurity concerns and put export protocols under closer scrutiny. U.S. swine operations should stay alert on import restrictions and any updates to disease monitoring requirements, particularly for any operations with international supply chains.
Keep your biosecurity protocols sharp — it’s a busy disease landscape out there.