News

Emergency H1N1 plan developed by APHIS

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-APHIS-has developed a plan for dealing with a positive diagnosis of the Type A H1N1 virus in a U.S. swine herd.

Agency officials are holding a series of meetings with government agencies, state animal health and public health officials, and pork industry associations to share the plan and recommendations.  APHIS has also shared the information with the Agricultural Research Service, the Food Safety Inspection Service and the Centers for Disease Control.   

Meanwhile, the National Pork Producers Council and the National Pork Board continue their efforts to correct misunderstandings about the relationship between H1N1 and pork products and production.  NPPC says it is working to ensure that the entire pork supply chain, from producer to retailer, is comfortable with the plan put forth by APHIS and understands that H1N1 is not transmitted by eating pork or by handling pork products.