Survey for alternative and outdoor pig farmers in Minnesota

As you may be aware, there are more alternative pig farms in Minnesota than there are large commercial farms. These farms are important for sustainability and make the food supply chain more resilient by providing pork locally but not a lot is known about the production and marketing practices. It is important to characterize these as there may be improvement opportunities that can aid in maintaining your pigs health.

My name is Miranda Medrano and I am a 3rd year PhD student at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. I am conducting a survey to learn more about the different farming, management, biosecurity, and marketing practices used on farms that raise pigs outdoors or allow pigs outdoor access at least partially during the year in Minnesota.

The information gathered through this survey will be used as part of my PhD thesis exploring the risk factors for and potential spread of high impact swine diseases, such as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED), and African Swine Fever (ASF) within this population. Please help provide me with the data I need to help summarize this information and get a more accurate representation of the risk that PRRS, PED, and ASF pose to these pig farms. The data will be held confidentially in a secure data management system. Only the research team and I will have access to the data. At the end of the study, I will share with you the general study outcomes and provide recommendations that can help you minimize the risk of disease introduction.

Survey Link: https://z.umn.edu/OutdoorSwineSurvey

All participants who complete the survey will receive a $25 gift card for gas or a local feed store of their choice.

Funding for this project is provided by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program’s graduate research grant.

Picture of Miranda Medrano.

www.linkedin.com/in/miranda-medrano-dvm-mph-8164a894

Please feel free to contact me for more information at medra036@umn.edu or at 612-440-5859.

Thank you for your time and consideration!

Miranda Medrano DVM, MPH
Ph.D. Student, Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities