BioSec Bob here on Monday, September 21, 2026 — let’s dig in.
Starting with a development out of Minnesota this morning: foodmarket.com is reporting that poultry meat and products from Wright County have been suspended from import. The suspension affects shipments coming into the United States, though the report doesn’t specify the underlying reason for the action. Wright County producers and anyone in the supply chain moving product through that region will need to check the details with their buyers and compliance teams on what that means for their specific operations.
Sticking with poultry disease concerns, the question of government oversight is heating up again. Poultry News is asking how many Salmonella outbreak warnings the government needs before stronger action takes hold. The piece doesn’t detail a specific recent outbreak, but the tension between warnings issued and regulatory response is a running conversation in the industry — one producers are watching closely as enforcement priorities shift.
On the swine side now, National Hog Farmer is covering work by students using artificial intelligence to address heat stress in hogs. The research is focused on developing tools that can better predict and manage thermal stress during hot weather — something every hog producer knows costs money and animal performance when temperatures climb. The details on how the AI tools will work and when they might be commercially available aren’t fully laid out in the initial reporting, but it’s worth keeping an eye on as that work develops.
Turning to inspection infrastructure, foodmarket.com is reporting that New Mexico has been welcomed into the USDA’s State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program. That expands New Mexico’s ability to handle state-level inspection of meat and poultry products, which can streamline processing for producers and facilities operating within the state system. It’s a regulatory expansion that opens up flexibility for operations in that region.
The USDA also made moves on its production forecasts this week. High Plains Journal reports the agency has lowered its 2026 red meat and poultry production forecast. That adjustment comes as the year moves into its final quarter, reflecting what USDA sees in current herd and flock dynamics, placement rates, and market conditions. Tighter production numbers could shape pricing and market dynamics heading into the final months of the year.
And internationally, Mettis Global is reporting that Punjab is intensifying its efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance in poultry operations. The push reflects growing pressure to reduce routine antibiotic use in birds, a trend that’s picking up steam globally and worth monitoring if you’re involved in exports or watching disease management practices shift across major producing regions.
Check those import alerts and keep tabs on production numbers — plenty to work with this week.