Stay Informed

A voluntary study of swine farms across the U.S. began this summer and runs through January.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System’s voluntary study of hog operations is being conducted separately for farms with fewer than 1,000 swine and those with more than 1,000 swine. Selected producers will be notified by mail.

The study of larger farms began in July and runs through January 2022. It will involve 2,700 operations from 13 states, including Indiana. The aim is to provide farmers and others with information related to housing, productivity, and morbidity and mortality prevention.

This study involves a questionnaire, to be completed during a visit from representatives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service in July or August. If the producer chooses to continue in the study, USDA or state veterinary health professionals will visit the farm between September 2021 and January 2022 to complete a second questionnaire and discuss free biologic testing.

The study of smaller farms ran through July and involved 5,000 swine operations from 38 states, including Indiana. Producers participated simply by filling out a questionnaire.

NAHMS emphasized that no name or contact information will ever be associated with individual data, that all data will be reported in summary manner, and that no data will ever be reported in a way that could reveal the identity of a participant.

For more information, call the USDA’s Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health at 970-494-7216, email NAHMS at NAHMS@usda.gov, or visit the NAHMS website at www.aphis.usda.gov/nahms.