U.S. hog producers take steps to guard against PEDv at winter meetings

Concern among the top U.S. hog-producing states over a virus that is killing millions of baby pigs has reached such an extent that officials at an industry gathering in Minnesota this week swabbed the trade floor to test for the virus. Meeting organizers in Iowa are relying on producers’ knowledge of basic biosecurity measures to guard against spreading Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus, or PEDv. The Iowa Pork Congress, billed as the country’s largest winter swine trade show and conference, expects nearly 300 exhibitors and hundreds of hog producers to convene on Wednesday and Thursday in Des Moines. “We feel that we’ve gotten the word out about PEDv and the need for increased biosecurity enough in the last year,” said Ron Birkenholz, spokesman for Iowa Pork Producers.