A month ago (8 June) at the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, IA, more than 80 attendees representing production agriculture, law enforcement, media, and state and federal governments participated in a table-top exercise based on a simulated foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. Some tabletop exercises merely involve sitting around a table; this one used the three-dimensional model of agricultural facilities that I saw at the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) meeting in April. The beauty of conducting this type of exercise with a variety of stakeholders is that it really makes you think—and recognize that your perspective would not be the only one involved in a response.
This is one of several Pork-Checkoff-sponsored farm biosecurity and disease emergency preparedness activities supported by the National Pork Board. Another one is the Biosecurity Guide for Pork Producers.
Oh man, I don’t know if a hoof and mouth simulation is the best way to promote bacon. It’s definitely important to be well prepared for that stuff, though.
Is the World Pork Expo held every year? How have I never heard about this? Do they give free samples