--- title: "U.S. Swine Health Information Center to fold into National Pork Board by end of 2026" summary: "The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), a key U.S. emerging-disease surveillance body for the pork sector, will be integrated into the National Pork Board by year-end 2026 after both producer-led boards approved the move. SHIC's disease monitoring, research, and rapid-response functions are expected to continue without interruption, though the transition raises questions about scientific independence and the speed of response operations inside a larger institution." url: "https://feedsoft.ai/articles/u-s-swine-health-information-center-to-fold-into-national-pork-board-by-end-of-2026-0969c737" publisher: "The Feed Report" section: "Global Feed" author: "The Feed Desk" datePublished: "2026-10-04T16:32:40.360Z" dateModified: "2026-10-04T16:32:40.360Z" sources: - title: "Swine Health Information Center to integrate into National Pork Board" url: "https://theherd.news/the-feed/swine-health-information-center-to-integrate-into-national-pork-board" --- # U.S. Swine Health Information Center to fold into National Pork Board by end of 2026 *The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), a key U.S. emerging-disease surveillance body for the pork sector, will be integrated into the National Pork Board by year-end 2026 after both producer-led boards approved the move. SHIC's disease monitoring, research, and rapid-response functions are expected to continue without interruption, though the transition raises questions about scientific independence and the speed of response operations inside a larger institution.* The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) will be absorbed into the National Pork Board (NPB) by the end of 2026, marking a significant structural change for one of the U.S. pork industry's primary emerging-disease organisations. Both groups' producer-led boards have approved the agreement, according to statements published by SHIC and the Pork Checkoff. SHIC was established on 4 July 2015 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funded through the Pork Checkoff, following the industry's experience with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, which underscored the need for faster disease intelligence and coordinated response. Since then, the organisation has built programmes covering emerging-disease monitoring, targeted research, preparedness tools, and producer communications. SHIC said it has received 535 research proposals since 2015 and contracted more than $24.4 million in Checkoff and non-Checkoff funding. The organisations said the rationale for the change is to align SHIC's capabilities more closely with the National Swine Health Strategy, which NPB said was shaped by producer, veterinarian, and stakeholder input collected in 2025. NPB described the strategy's work plan as focusing on two goals: reducing the impact of domestic diseases and keeping foreign and emerging diseases out of the U.S. herd. SHIC said its disease-monitoring, research, reporting, and rapid-response work will continue through the transition, and a FAQ published by the Pork Checkoff stated that active contracts, research funds, communications, archives, and institutional knowledge are expected to transfer without interruption. The integration will bring leadership changes. SHIC said Dr. Megan Niederwerder will conclude her service as executive director on 18 September 2026, and Dr. Lisa Becton will assume those duties until the integration is complete, after which the programme will be led by NPB staff. SHIC board president Joseph Dykhuis framed the arrangement as a "warm handoff," stating that the expectation is that NPB will preserve the centre's visible focus on emerging disease, technical leadership, budget support, and rapid decision-making. Dykhuis also said producer and veterinary engagement should remain central, including continued input from current board members, researchers, diagnostic labs, NPPC, and AASV. The governance implications are notable. NPB is a USDA-sanctioned, producer- and importer-governed checkoff board whose members are nominated through the delegate body and appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Bringing SHIC under that framework gives its workstream a more direct connection to national Pork Checkoff spending priorities, but it also means the details of advisory structure, technical oversight, and budget protection will be closely watched by veterinary and research stakeholders. Key questions identified by industry observers include whether response times remain fast, whether scientific independence stays credible, and whether veterinary expertise retains a formal seat at the table once SHIC is no longer a standalone nonprofit. Observers have noted that the biggest risk in such a merger is not the stated mission but whether the operating culture that made SHIC useful can survive inside a larger institution. SHIC's signature programmes — including domestic and global disease monitoring reports, the Standardized Outbreak Investigation Program, a rapid-response programme, diagnostic fee assistance, and joint webinars with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians — are expected to transfer as part of the integration. ## Sources - [Swine Health Information Center to integrate into National Pork Board](https://theherd.news/the-feed/swine-health-information-center-to-integrate-into-national-pork-board) *Cite as: The Feed Report, "U.S. Swine Health Information Center to fold into National Pork Board by end of 2026", https://feedsoft.ai/articles/u-s-swine-health-information-center-to-fold-into-national-pork-board-by-end-of-2026-0969c737 (as of 2026-10-04).*