The USDA has earmarked $56 million to aid completion of pseudorabies (PRV) eradication.
It's estimated that 98% of the funds will be used in Iowa. At press time, about 300 PRV quarantines remain, mostly in northern Iowa.
National Pork Producers Council President Craig Jarolimek hailed the continuation of the Accelerated PRV Eradication Program (APEP).
"This funding will allow us to finally eliminate PRV from the domestic U.S. swine herd," says the Forest River, ND, pork producer. "Not only does this disease cost pork producers about $40 million each year, but it severely limits the opportunity of U.S. pork producers to market their hogs in Canada and complicates our export efforts."