BioSec Bob here on Wednesday, October 7, 2026—let’s get right into it.
Starting on the poultry side this morning: Spectrum News is reporting that avian influenza has been confirmed in a commercial poultry flock in Racine County, Wisconsin. State and federal animal health officials have moved in to contain the outbreak. The identification marks another detection in the ongoing spread that’s kept producers across the Upper Midwest on high alert through the fall season.
Over to swine disease surveillance now. National Hog Farmer says DARO—the Swine Disease Surveillance and Outbreak Response initiative—has raised $2.5 million to expand its monitoring network. The funding will bolster DARO’s capacity to track disease movement across the country in real time, giving producers and veterinarians faster access to outbreak intelligence at the state and regional level.
Across the Atlantic, things are tightening up in Europe. Bluewin.ch reports that Switzerland has culled 10,500 pigs due to a contagious disease outbreak spreading through domestic herds. The scale of the cull underscores how quickly disease can move through a pig population once it takes hold in a region.
Poland’s been hit as well. According to 3TRES3, African swine fever has been confirmed in domestic pigs in the Podlaskie Voivodeship—that’s the northeastern part of the country. The detection adds to the ongoing ASF pressure in Eastern Europe that’s been affecting trade and herd management decisions for years now.
Back stateside, Feedstuffs is reporting that industry investors have committed $1.6 million to the Pig Livability Project, a research effort focused on reducing pre-weaning and post-weaning mortality in commercial operations. The investment targets one of the persistent cost drivers in modern swine production.
Finally, producers managing swine operations in Alberta, Canada should take note: 3TRES3 reports that Alberta has implemented a new feed requirement tied to certified pre-mix establishments, or CPE. The regulation change affects how producers source and verify feed ingredients heading into the winter months.
Lot of movement on the disease front—keep your biosecurity dialed in.