American Farmers,
Keeping Your Food Safe

Like all farmers, pork producers take food safety very seriously. They already have bio-security practices in place, but are intensifying those best practices right now.

For example, pork producers:

• Don't loan equipment or vehicles to or borrow them from other farms.
• Don't bring swine that could be in connact with feral (wild) hogs brought back to the farm.
• Only permit essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm.
• Disinfect their shoes, clothes and hands. They thoroughly clean and disinfect equipment and vehicles entering and leaving the farm and avoid visiting other livestock farms without proper cleaning and disinfection.
• Encrouage workers to get vaccinated against the seasonal influenza virus.

With the recent outbreak, pork producers are encouraged to take added steps, including:

• Establish, implement and enforce strict sick leave policies for workers presenting influenza-like symptoms such as fever, cough, body aches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea.  
• Implement biosecurity for workers reporting international travel.
• Limit the entry of people into your facility to workers and essential service personnel.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, USDA, World Health Organization, National Pork Board