BioSec Bob here on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 — let’s get right into it.
National Hog Farmer is running a five-step checklist for swine barn prep as we head into the colder months. The focus is on ventilation systems, insulation integrity, heating equipment function, water line protection, and feed storage security. Producers should be testing fans and dampers now, checking for drafts and air leaks in walls and around doors, verifying backup heat sources are operational, ensuring water doesn’t freeze in lines, and confirming feed storage is sealed against moisture and rodent entry. With winter just around the corner, these aren’t new concepts, but the publication’s laying out the timing for getting ahead of seasonal problems before they hit your operation.
On the disease surveillance front, the Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory has joined the Swine Disease Reporting System network. According to National Hog Farmer, this expands SDRS’s real-time reporting capacity across the upper Midwest and helps coordinate faster diagnostics and information sharing when disease suspects show up. The network now pulls data from more labs, which means clearer visibility into what’s moving through herds.
Overseas, the ASF situation in Finland is tightening. Pork Business reports that African swine fever has spread further west into the country, and officials have now restricted movement of pork and pork products from the affected zone. That’s hitting Finland’s pork sector hard — the country exports roughly eighty-six million dollars’ worth annually, and trade barriers are already in place. Ruokavirasto, Finland’s food authority, confirms the infected zone is expanding westward, which means the outbreak isn’t contained yet and neighboring producers and exporters are watching closely.
Shifting to domestic concerns, Congress is working on legislation that could finally bring federal funding and coordination to the feral swine problem across the United States. The Pig Site reports the bill would offer producers and state agencies tools and money to tackle wild hog populations that damage pastures, spread disease, and compete with livestock operations. Details on timing and funding levels aren’t final yet, but producers have been calling for national action on this for years.
Rounding out the numbers this morning — pig333 community data shows U.S. hog slaughter volumes are expected to run below last year’s pace through the rest of 2026. That’s affecting throughput at plants and creating some pricing volatility as the industry adjusts to tighter supply.
Keep tabs on those ASF developments overseas — trade moves fast.