MetaFarms, Inc., an American agricultural information platform, today announced on May 16 the first of its kind program for pig producers to prepare for a potential outbreak of Foreign Animal Disease (FAD).
SecureReady ™ utilizes all aspects of the MetaFarms Ag Platform (MAP) to facilitate filling, updating, and accessing records, including: room identification number (PIN), real-time inventory, relocation, and biosafety assessment.
“The cancellation of the World Pork Expo and the continued spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) reminded us of the threat of outbreaks of other diseases that are unavoidable in the industry. We understand that the livestock industry's ability to respond quickly and effectively is critical, ”said Brian Parker, COO of MetaFarms.
If ASF, foot-and-mouth disease or classical swine fever (CSF) is found in the United States, regulatory authorities will be able to quickly restrict the movement of animals in order to control the spread of these highly contagious diseases. According to industry estimates, only ASF can cause losses of $ 8 billion.
MetaFarms, in close collaboration with the National Pig Breeding Council, is working on a Safe Pork Supply Plan (SPS), and is working with veterinarians and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine what information is needed. In the event of an FAD outbreak, SecureReady is designed to help the industry regulate livestock.MetaFarms is finalizing a template for creating a basic standardized version of SecureReady for manufacturers who do not currently use the platform, and conducts a biosafety audit through its security module to help increase the operational availability of the program.
“One of the benefits of using the MetaFarms platform is access to data. Through the MetaFarms Ag platform, we track about 30% of pigs and more than a million sows in the industry, ”said MetaFarms COO.
