The university of florida will assess the real and perceived biosecurity threats of wild pigs to commercial swine production and develop mitigation strategies based on pathogen transmission routes

The University of Florida received a $272,467 Cooperative Agreement award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025), effective August 10, 2025 through August 9, 2027. The project will assess biosecurity threats posed by wild pigs to commercial swine operations and develop evidence-based mitigation strategies. Key deliverables include a survey of Arkansas swine producers to document their perceptions of pathogen transmission risks, on-site biosecurity assessments and empirical microbe transmission measurements conducted by subject matter experts, and a best management practice guide for reducing pathogen transmission between wild and commercial swine populations.

The project will produce practical outreach materials including infographics, fact sheets, and slide presentations communicating swine biosecurity best practices, and will conduct a workshop with producers to facilitate adoption of recommended practices. Intended beneficiaries are small and medium-sized commercial swine producers operating in regions where wild pigs present biosecurity threats. By contrasting producer perceptions with expert findings and incorporating farmer input into mitigation strategy development, the project aims to enhance understanding of current practices that increase pathogen transmission probability and promote industry buy-in for biosecurity improvements.

A survey of arkansas swine producers will be used to gather information on farmers' perceptions of biosecurity threats, transmission routes, and barriers to preventing pathogen transmission from invasive wild pigs. The project will contrast producer perceptions with results from biosecurity experts who conduct site visits and empirical measurements of microbe sharing among wild and commercial pigs on arkansas farms. The information will be used to develop mitigation strategies with input from swine producers to achieve buy-in for biosecurity best management practices. A workshop with swine producers will be conducted, and the project will produce infographics, fact sheets, and slide decks to communicate practical SWI NE biosecurity best practices for swine farmers. The project outcome will be swine producers that have a better understanding of current practices that increase the probability of pathogen transmission, and a best management practice guide for reducing pathogen transmission between wild and commercial pigs. The intended beneficiaries are small and medium-sized commercial swine producers that operate where wild pigs present a biosecurity threat.