Duration: 10/01/2026 to 09/30/2031

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

The US pork industry is facing growing challenges, including shortages of skilled labor, increasing herd-health concerns, and the need to improve efficiency on farms. At the same time, new digital tools such as automated sensors and data analysis systems offer promising yet unproven ways to monitor animals, detect issues, and support better decision making. These technologies are developing quickly and will be reliant on coordinated research across universities and production systems to amplify their consistency and place as a useful tool for the swine industry. This project brings together experts from multiple states to ensure that new technologies and management practices are thoroughly tested, reliable, and practical for real-world use.

Our goals are to: 1. Conduct research that uses precision technologies to improve pig performance and farm profitability; 2. Advance management practices that improve animal health, welfare, and survival; 3. Provide clear education on farm technologies and data use, privacy, and security; and 4. Deliver science-based resources that help producers adopt effective, modern production practices.

The primary beneficiaries are swine producers, veterinarians, Extension educators, and industry professionals who rely on accurate information to make daily swine husbandry decisions. Technology companies, consultants, and policymakers will also benefit from science-based guidance.

Through coordinated research and outreach, this project will generate validated tools, practical recommendations, and accessible educational materials. These activities will help farmers use technology more effectively, strengthen herd health, and improve productivity. Ultimately, the project aims to support a more competitive, efficient, and sustainable U.S. pork industry.

Statement of Issues and Justification

The U.S. swine industry faces growing challenges related to labor shortages, herd health, production efficiency, and the integration of emerging digital technologies. Precision livestock technologies such as sensors, automated monitoring systems, and advanced data analytics present new opportunities to improve animal management and producer decision-making. However, broad adoption and meaningful application of these technologies require coordinated, multi-institutional research to ensure validity, consistency, and practical relevance across diverse production systems. Without such coordination, progress in technology development and implementation will remain fragmented and less impactful.

This multistate effort will leverage the complementary expertise of participating institutions to address national and regional priorities in animal agriculture by enhancing productivity, improving herd health and welfare, and advancing data-driven management practices. Through collaborative applied research, Extension efforts, and outreach education, the project will generate validated information, management tools, and outreach materials to support evidence-based decisions that improve animal performance and farm profitability.

Primary stakeholders and beneficiaries include independent and integrated swine producers, veterinarians, Extension educators, and allied industry professionals. Additional users of project outcomes include technology developers, data management specialists, and policymakers seeking science-based guidance on precision livestock applications. Collectively, this coordinated multistate effort will strengthen the competitiveness and long-term viability of the U.S. pork industry through innovation, collaboration, and the delivery of practical, research-based solutions.

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

The participating stations bring together complementary expertise in swine production, precision livestock technologies, farm production data management and analysis, swine health and welfare, and Extension education. This disciplinary diversity enables rapid identification of emerging challenges within the U.S. pork industry and supports coordinated, multi-state research and outreach programs. Committee members maintain strong connections with producers, veterinarians, and allied industry partners, which ensures that research priorities reflect real-world needs and that results are translated quickly into practical recommendations. Relationships with commercial farms and technology developers further enhance access to facilities, data streams, and instrumentation needed to conduct impactful applied research.

A standardized, multi-institutional project-development framework will guide all research activities across objectives. When an applied research project or technology-validation need is identified, a committee member will serve as project lead and coordinate development of shared protocols. Draft protocols will be reviewed and finalized collaboratively to ensure experimental consistency across locations. Data from participating stations will be centrally collated, cleaned, and analyzed using agreed-upon statistical approaches that account for station, environment, and technology effects. Initial interpretations will be reviewed collectively before publications, technology assessments, or management recommendations are produced.

Across all objectives, collaborative procedures include:

• Multi-site testing of precision technologies and / or data analytic tools under university and commercial conditions.
• Standardized data-collection frameworks for performance, health, behavior, welfare, and environmental indicators.
• Shared data processing and security standards to support responsible farm data management.
• Coordinated development of Extension curricula, factsheets, digital resources, and training programs.

This integrated approach ensures joint planning, comparable datasets, and consistent delivery of scientifically validated resources for the swine industry that has been evaluated across multiple University and/or industry settings.

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

Outreach and education remain central strengths of this multistate committee, which has a long record of translating complex, science-based recommendations into practical guidance for the people working directly with pigs. A cornerstone of this effort is the SowBridge® Breeding Herd Educational Series, a proven, nationally recognized program developed and delivered by committee members. SowBridge® provides breeding herd personnel with straightforward access to leading scientists and experts through an accessible, low-cost, virtual platform. Participants receive presentation materials and engage with the speaker during a scheduled monthly session, enabling entire farm teams to learn together without travel or disruption to daily responsibilities. Feedback consistently highlights that the SowBridge® format makes advanced scientific content understandable and usable for the people inside the barns caring for animals.

Building on this successful model, the committee will expand educational programming to support precision livestock technology adoption, data stewardship, and improved health and welfare management. Programs will be designed for broad accessibility, using multiple delivery systems including online modules, recorded webinars, digital factsheets, virtual workshops, and in-person demonstrations to serve producers with varying levels of internet access, technical comfort, or schedule flexibility. Content will be written in clear language and adapted when necessary to reach underserved or underrepresented production systems, such as small or independent farms.

Committee members will coordinate closely with producer groups, veterinarians, allied industries, technology companies, and other multistate projects to ensure that educational materials meet stakeholder needs and reflect current research. Many members also contribute to national outreach platforms, including the National Pork Board’s Swine Education & Outreach Professionals Group, and university-based websites, newsletters, and publications. This coordinated, multi-institutional approach ensures that validated science is quickly and effectively delivered to swine professionals who rely on practical, research-based information to improve pig performance, welfare, and farm profitability.

Organization/Governance

The recommended Standard Governance for multistate research activities include the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary. A new secretary is elected each year and the officers progress from Secretary, to Chair-elect, to Chair. All officers are to be elected for at least three-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a NIFA Representative.

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

TX

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions