The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is entering 2026 with a clear mandate: strengthen preparedness against emerging disease threats while helping anchor the newly announced National Swine Health Strategy.
In 2025, SHIC invested $4.4 million across 32 swine health research projects — the largest annual research commitment in the organization’s history. The organization’s newly released 2025 Progress Report outlines how those investments are shaping rapid response and prevention capabilities across the U.S. pork sector.
2026 Focus: Emerging and Transboundary Disease Risks
According to SHIC Executive Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder, global disease risk continues to evolve — requiring constant vigilance and adaptability.
“Our role through the Swine Health Information Center is to always stay up to speed on emerging disease threats, to be nimble and responsive to those threats and to serve pork producers.”
1️⃣ Containing New World Screwworm
New World Screwworm, a transboundary parasitic threat affecting multiple species, remains a key surveillance and preparedness priority. While historically eradicated from the United States, the risk of reintroduction remains a concern given global animal movement and ecological shifts.
2️⃣ Expanding Understanding of H5N1 in Swine
SHIC has released its second H5N1 Request for Proposals (RFP) in January 2026, continuing efforts to better understand prevention, preparedness, and response strategies related to highly pathogenic avian influenza.
The H5N1 strain — which has demonstrated multi-species transmission — underscores the importance of cross-commodity collaboration.
“It’s going to be a big program again this year to generate prevention, preparedness and response information for H5N1 risk to swine,” Niederwerder explained, noting the importance of stakeholder and funding partner collaboration.
H5N1 avian influenza has created heightened awareness across livestock sectors due to its adaptability and expanding host range.
3️⃣ Supporting the National Swine Health Strategy
A major development for 2026 is the rollout of the new National Swine Health Strategy, led by:
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National Pork Board
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National Pork Producers Council
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State pork associations
The strategy is scheduled for official release at the 2026 National Pork Forum in March.
SHIC is expected to serve as a central pillar of the strategy’s emerging disease mitigation framework — providing research direction, coordination, and rapid-response capability.
Why This Matters to Producers
The scale of SHIC’s 2025 research commitment signals a proactive posture:
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Increased funding for emerging disease surveillance
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Faster research deployment through targeted RFPs
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Greater coordination across species and industry partners
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Integration of preparedness into a national strategy framework
For producers, this means earlier detection, stronger mitigation planning, and a more unified industry approach to health security.
In a global environment where disease pressure can shift quickly, SHIC’s 2026 priorities reinforce a simple but critical objective: avoid being caught off guard.
SHIC’s full 2025 Progress Report is available at swinehealth.org.
Swine Web will continue covering developments tied to the National Swine Health Strategy and emerging disease preparedness.
