The U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan Act (HR 10911) has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The bipartisan bill would formally establish a voluntary U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulatory program to be known as the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP) to certify that herds at pork farms and pig breeding facilities across the country meet strong health standards. The goal is to prevent, detect and respond to animal diseases such as African swine fever and classical swine fever, which have appeared in recent years around the world, including in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
“With this legislation, we are supporting our nation’s agricultural trade economy and helping to protect animal health, public health and the security of our food supply by preventing future animal disease outbreaks,” said Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and co-sponsor of the bill. “We are also helping U.S. pork producers reach international markets and, most importantly, we are protecting the economic livelihood of family farms.”
This House bill complements a Senate measure, S. 4893, introduced this year by Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio and builds on a pilot program the swine industry launched several years ago with USDA funding and state animal health officials’ support. The program follows the model of the National Poultry Improvement Plan, which has protected the poultry industry for more than 90 years from diseases such as avian influenza.
Thirty-eight states take part in this voluntary swine health improvement pilot program. The legislation would formally authorize the program in federal law, set funding levels for it over the next five years, and direct USDA to establish an advisory committee to recommend how the program should be administered. The advisory committee would also study broader swine health challenges and recommend how the federal government can help the swine industry and states respond when problems arise. By strengthening and expanding the piloted U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan, Congress can help swine facilities obtain health certifications and improve the marketability of domestic pork products.
The legislation is supported by pork producer groups including the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).
“Funding and formalizing the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan are key to strengthening the health of our nation’s swine herd,” said Pat Hord, NPPC President-elect and Ohio pork producer. “A formal advisory committee will help ensure that producer and industry expertise inform U.S. SHIP’s implementation and continued improvement, supporting a science-based approach to disease prevention and animal health.”
Along with Kaptur, the bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Brad Finstad (R-Minnesota) and Rep. Don Davis (D-North Carolina).
