The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), in collaboration with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Pork Checkoff (National Pork Board, NPB), announced funding of 10 projects addressing research priorities and topics within its H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Program in July 2025.
The research awards were part of a $4 million program to enhance prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response capabilities for H5N1 influenza in the U.S. swine herd. Today, SHIC, FFAR, and NPB are inviting a second round of proposal submissions from qualified researchers for funding consideration to address H5N1 Risk to Swine research priorities not yet adequately addressed.
Described in the detailed Request for Research Proposals (RFP), topic areas include:
- Surveillance
- Introduction risks
- Caretakers
- Biosecurity
- Pork safety
- Production impact
- Business continuity
Total funding available for the SHIC/FFAR/NPB H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Priorities included in this RFP is $1.8 million. Individual awards are capped at $250,000, however, proposals may exceed cap if sufficient justification is provided. Matching funds are encouraged but not required; the $250,000 cap applies to only those funds requested from SHIC/FFAR/NPB. All projects should strive to have a high impact, show value to pork producers, and have pork industrywide benefit.
The deadline for proposal submission is 5 p.m. CT on March 24. The proposal template and instructions for completion and submission can be found here. For questions, please contact Dr. Megan Niederwerder at [email protected] or (785)452-8270 or Dr. Lisa Becton at [email protected] or (515)724-9491.
Proposals should clearly state which SHIC/FFAR/NPB H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Priorities will be addressed through the project. Projects proposing to expand previously funded work from the first RFP that align with the research priorities of this solicitation will also be considered for funding.
Collaborative projects including relevant pork industry, allied industry, dairy or poultry industries, academic institutions, and/or public/private partnerships, as applicable, are highly encouraged. For multi-species projects, proposals should demonstrate adequate scientific and/or industry representation for each species included to ensure meaningful and effective collaboration. Projects demonstrating the most urgency and timeliness of completion, provide the greatest value to pork producers, and show efficient use of funds will be prioritized for funding. Projects are requested to be completed within a 12- to 18-month period with sufficient justification required for extended project duration.
Outcomes from the funded projects will provide critical information producers, veterinarians and industry stakeholders can use to better prevent incursion and develop preparedness plans if H5N1 is identified in U.S. commercial swine herds.
