Wisconsin PEDV Pilot Project Puts Disease Elimination into Action

Wisconsin PEDV Pilot Project Puts Disease Elimination into Action

On this page:

• Why Wisconsin Chose to Act
• How the Pilot Program Works
• Turning the National Swine Health Strategy into Local Action
• Why Site Status Sharing Matters
• Learning Important Lessons Other States Can Use

Eliminating porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) nationwide will require coordinated action beyond any single farm. The Wisconsin Pork Association (WPA) is putting this concept into action through a 24-month PEDV Elimination Pilot Program.

"Our number one goal is eliminating PEDV in the state of Wisconsin," said Keri Retallick, executive vice president of WPA. "We're going to start that regionally in the state, and then we'll move toward the entire state."

This pilot program is designed to bring producers, veterinarians and industry partners together to learn what it takes to move from managing PEDV to eliminating it.

Why Wisconsin Chose to Act

The pilot program builds on years of disease surveillance in Wisconsin. Beginning in 2018, the state required testing for PEDV and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) for certain swine movements. WPA launched a program that provided rebates to producers who submitted their test results, and the data was recorded for research purposes. The state testing requirement ended in July 2026, but WPA saw an opportunity to continue building on the information they collected.

"We were still very interested in where we were with our efforts, working with individuals who continue to test and considering what we can do to possibly eliminate PEDV in Wisconsin," said Retallick.

In collaboration with the National Pork Board's (NPB) swine health team, the WPA's Board of Directors and Swine Health Committee moved forward with the pilot program to continue monitoring PEDV, engage producers in elimination efforts and identify practices that could eventually help eliminate PEDV from Wisconsin.

For producers, the stakes extend beyond a positive test. "Their goal is not to have these endemic diseases coming into their operations and costing them money," Retallick said. "It's a huge economic burden for these individuals."

The impact can also be personal. Retallick noted that experiencing repeated disease challenges can take a mental toll on producers in addition to the financial consequences.

How the Pilot Program Works

The pilot program helps producers document PEDV health status using U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (U.S. SHIP). Participating expected-negative herds can work toward the voluntary PEDV Clean Site Status Certification, which requires at least three months of negative test results and continued testing in accordance with program standards.

At their annual meeting this September, the U.S. SHIP House of Delegates approved PEDV Monitored, a new voluntary certification that provides another entry point for herds. Sites can participate regardless of their current PEDV status.

WPA helps enroll producers, coordinate testing information and collect program data. Limited funding is also available to offset some testing costs. Producers work with their veterinarians to release diagnostic information, helping create a more consistent picture of PEDV status across participating sites.

Turning the National Swine Health Strategy into Local Action

NPB's producer-led National Swine Health Strategy (NSHS) has two clear goals: reduce the impact of domestic diseases and keep foreign and emerging diseases out. Wisconsin's pilot program is one example of how the industry is putting the NSHS into practice.

"PEDV elimination is a producer-identified priority in the National Swine Health Strategy, and Wisconsin is helping turn that priority into measurable action," said Dr. Marisa Rotolo, director of swine health at NPB. "This pilot will help us understand what producer participation, coordinated testing and health-status sharing can accomplish at a regional level."

PEDV has recognizable clinical signs, reliable diagnostic testing and a standardized pathway for documenting health status through U.S. SHIP. Having those established tools makes progress more measurable than with a more complex virus such as PRRSV.

"What we learn in Wisconsin can help shape a practical, repeatable approach for other states. The value is not only in advancing PEDV elimination, but in strengthening the collaboration and consistent information-sharing needed to protect the U.S. swine herd," said Rotolo.

Why Site Status Sharing Matters

Sharing site health status supports the NSHS's goal of reducing pathogen spread. Timely, consistent information helps producers and veterinarians make more informed movement and biosecurity decisions, while giving neighboring operations and regional partners better information to coordinate disease-control efforts. Wisconsin's pilot is an early example of how producers, veterinarians and state partners can test a coordinated approach to PEDV elimination and generate practical lessons for broader industry efforts.

Learning Important Lessons Other States Can Use

The work is also intended to inform PEDV elimination beyond Wisconsin. The Nebraska and Kentucky Pork Producers Associations are expected to build on WPA's approach beginning in 2027, expanding opportunities to learn how state and regional collaboration can work in different production systems.

"I want what we're doing in Wisconsin to be applicable and functional in other states, starting with Kentucky and Nebraska," Retallick said. "I think there are a lot of areas that are very similar, so we can have a better template to move this project forward and have a pilot throughout the nation that is successful."

WPA's pilot program supports broader NSHS work to advance a national PEDV elimination framework. In addition to supporting this pilot program, NPB is educating producers about U.S. SHIP and PEDV Health certifications, supporting continued PEDV research and improving understanding of the disease's economic impact.

As WPA's pilot program launches and other states begin their own, Retallick advises prioritizing communication from the outset.

"Direct communication with the producers, cooperating with other states and learning from each other is the best advice I can give, because that's truly how you can collectively do something."