BioSec Bob here on Sunday, April 26, 2026—let’s get right into it.
Starting on the swine side, Lancaster Farming is reporting that pig farmers are positioned for a profitable year despite rising input costs. The economics are holding up because hog prices have remained relatively strong, offsetting the pressure producers are feeling at the feed mill and fuel pump. Feed costs continue climbing, energy prices haven’t backed off, and labor expenses keep ticking upward, but the margin math is still working in producers’ favor heading into the second half of 2026. That said, those input pressures aren’t going away anytime soon, so margins could compress if prices soften.
Shifting to the poultry side now—there’s a significant development on food safety oversight. Food & Wine is reporting that the USDA is relocating key food safety operations, which will reshape how inspection and monitoring get done across poultry production. The agency hasn’t detailed which specific operations are moving or where they’re headed, but this reorganization will affect how facilities are inspected and how safety protocols are enforced. Producers need to watch for announcements about which regions are affected and what the timeline looks like for these transitions.
On the disease front, Outbreak News Today is tracking a salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry. The outbreak’s scope and geographic footprint aren’t fully defined yet, but it’s a reminder that salmonella in small flocks can be a real public health concern. Commercial producers should be aware—backyard operations are outside normal biosecurity oversight, but they’re part of the same landscape.
Over in research, Poultry World is reporting that researchers have developed a practical One Welfare tool designed specifically for broiler farms. The tool measures bird welfare across multiple dimensions—health, behavior, environment—and gives producers a way to assess their operation systematically. It’s meant to be actionable for farm management, not just academic, so it could help operations identify where welfare improvements need attention.
Maryland news now: Lancaster Farming confirms that Maryland has approved a concentrated animal feeding operation permit, moving forward a poultry facility that had been in the approval pipeline. The permit was granted following the standard environmental and operational review process, though details on the facility’s size and location are still limited. This represents movement on one of the larger poultry development projects the state had been evaluating.
Finally, WATTPoultry.com is reporting on some interesting fertility research—scientists are using organoid technology to study turkey hen reproductive biology. Organoids are miniature tissue models grown in the lab that mimic how organs function. This work could eventually help researchers understand and possibly improve fertility in turkey breeding stock, which matters directly to commercial turkey operations managing their genetics and hatch rates.
Keep your biosecurity protocols sharp—lot of moving pieces out there this week.