Why is SPS needed?
A Secure Pork Supply (SPS) plan helps swine exhibitors and producers prepare for a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) outbreak and prevent introductions of endemic diseases to the farm.
A SPS plan should include:
- Enhanced biosecurity plan
- Isolation procedures for new or returning pigs
- Cleaning and disinfection protocols
- Visitor and trailer control measures
- Mortality disposal procedures
- Feral swine risk assessment and mitigation practices for those with outdoor pigs in high-risk areas
- Animal traceability (through Premise ID, 840 tags, and animal movement records)
- Training for disease identification and monitoring
Having a SPS plan in place may help exhibitors continue pig movement during a disease outbreak if movement can occur safely.
Creating a SPS Plan
During disease outbreaks, veterinarians use premise ID to identify where livestock is located and establish quarantine zones. For swine producers, or anyone raising pigs, a SPS Plan is used to determine if pig movement can occur safely within or out of a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) zone and to prevent additional disease spread.
During a FAD outbreak, it is the exhibitor’s responsibility to keep their animals from becoming infected, focusing on what they can control on their farm.
A premises identification number (PIN) is a unique code that is permanently assigned to a physical location. A PIN allows animal health officials to quickly and precisely identify where animals are in the event of a disease outbreak or other emergency.
All farms with livestock should have a PIN for animal traceability and disease prevention.
Swine producers and exhibitors are encouraged to complete a site-specific biosecurity plan with their veterinarian. Having a biosecurity plan is critical to keeping animals healthy and protecting them from disease spread. Following biosecurity protocols prior to an outbreak helps prevent both FAD and endemic disease infection.
An aerial premises map identifies entry points, lines of separation, and movement areas of a farm. A completed premises map is one component of an SPS plan.
Already have a biosecurity plan in place? Use the enhanced biosecurity checklist to evaluate and look for ways to improve the plan. Regulatory officials may request items in this checklist to be in place during an FAD outbreak.
Pigs housed outdoors can potentially be exposed to infected feral pigs and wildlife. This template is designed for producers with pigs with outdoor access to review biosecurity steps that can be put in place to prevent exposure.
In a FAD outbreak, producers and exhibitors should be vigilant about monitoring their pigs each day to detect any clinical signs early. Individuals should be comfortable recognizing signs of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), Classical Swine Fever (CSF), and African Swine Fever (ASF) and recording animal health observations daily.