This article is informative and timely. The related article* linked at the end of this post describes how researchers found a gap between biosecurity perception and practice on farms, as well as a reliance on veterinarians for biosecurity-related advice.
The health and protection of food animals from foreign animal diseases remains a significant concern and efforts to stay prepared before an outbreak are critical to maintaining a safe food supply. Jessica Knight shares some of the current advance work. While the U.S. is currently free from three of these FADs, foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, or peste des petits ruminants, their potential demands proactive understanding and preparation.
If we wait until there’s an outbreak to start preparing, it’s already too late.” – Rachel Schambow, BS, DVM, PhD
Source: National Hog Farmer, August 15, 2025. Link. Researchers from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine’s Center for Animal Health and Food Safety are working to stay ahead of these threats by learning from the countries already living with them. Whether tracking virus evolution in Sri Lanka, evaluating control efforts in the Dominican Republic, or strengthening diagnostics in Africa, they’re generating insights that help protect U.S. herds—and the people and industries who depend on them.
*Related: Biosecurity is seen as a cost and not as an investment, BEEF, AVMA, August 18, 2025. Link. Veterinarians agreed: Livestock producers can often see biosecurity measures as a cost, rather than a benefit.