Ohio Pork Council

THE OHIO PORK COUNCIL WILL EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRENCH COMPOSTING (TC) FOR OHIO SWINE PRODUCERS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF TC AND EVALUATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY OF THIS CARCASS DISPOSAL METHOD FOR THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE OHIO ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY. OHIO SWINE PRODUCERS ARE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING TC AS A NEW TOOL TO MANAGE CATASTROPHIC MORTALITY EVENTS, AND THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE SCIENCE-BASED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE USE OF THIS METHOD FOR SWINE DISEASE EMERGENCIES. PROJECT RESULTS WILL BE SHARED WITH SWINE PRODUCERS, SWINE INDUSTRY LEADERS, AND STATE ANIMAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AND A SUMMARY PUBLICATION. THIS PROJECT WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT OHIO SWINE PRODUCERS BY PROVIDING NEW SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGING CARCASS DISPOSAL CHALLENGES DURING ANIMAL DISEASE OUTBREAKS.

APHIS’ SWINE HEALTH PROGRAM PROTECTS THE HEALTH AND IMPROVES THE QUALITY, PRODUCTIVITY, AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF THE SWINE INDUSTRY. THE 2021 PRODUCTION VALUE OF THE SWINE INDUSTRY WAS APPROXIMATELY $29 BILLION (NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE). IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM FACILITATES TRADE IN SWINE AND PORK PRODUCTS, AND ADDRESSES SWINE HEALTH ISSUES AT THE HUMAN-SWINE INTERFACE AND BETWEEN WILDLIFE AND DOMESTIC SWINE. APHIS ACTIVITIES INCLUDE COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED SWINE SURVEILLANCE, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLANNING, DISEASE INVESTIGATION AND CONTROL ACTIVITIES, ZOONOTIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE, SWINE HEALTH STUDIES AND SPECIAL PROJECTS, COLLABORATIONS ON EMERGING ISSUES, AND OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION WITH STAKEHOLDERS. IN ADDITION, THE AGENCY MAINTAINS REGULATORY AND PROGRAMMATIC GUIDELINES THAT DIRECT ACTIVITIES AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND TRIBAL LEVELS. ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING NATIONAL STANDARDS SUPPORT INTERSTATE AND INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE BY ENSURING THE HEALTH OF ANIMALS AND PRODUCTS BEING MOVED OR TRADED. THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS USDA’S GOAL TO MAXIMIZE THE ABILITY OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS TO PROSPER BY FEEDING AND CLOTHING THE WORLD BY PREVENTING AND/OR MITIGATING THE SPREAD OF AGRICULTURAL PESTS AND DISEASES.