USDA renews PRRS CAP funding

PRRS CAP was funded in 2004 and led by the University of Minnesota.  The program brought together a community of scientists, veterinarians, pork producers, represented by the Pork Checkoff, and industry to develop innovative strategies to lessen the impact of PRRS and work toward the virus' eradication.  The program is now led by Bob Rowland of Kansas State University.

Some of the successes of the effort include the development of vaccines; understanding how the virus spreads and the development of successful biosecurity practices to control infection and re-infection. Recent findings now provide guidelines for maintenance of PRRS -free herds without the use of vaccination.

The Pork Checkoff represents the industry on the PRRS CAP stakeholder board and Lisa Becton, director of swine health research and information, is project co-director of the program.  Among other things, Becton helps coordinate program goals, research calls and research findings through the pork.org and prrs.org Web sites.

"The Pork Checkoff also supports PRRS CAP research objectives through the National Pork Board's PRRS Initiative funds," Becton said. ""Producers today have many tools and valuable information thanks to the PRRS CAP project. 

Producers, through their Checkoff, and many other institutions in the United States and in other countries have all played an important part in deciphering the world of PRRS as we know it. But, there's still much more to learn about PRRS and we are ecstatic that funding has been renewed."

Requests for PRRS research proposal-funding through PRRS CAP are due Aug. 20.  Information on funding and applying for funding can be found online at prrs.org. Also online is information on the upcoming International PRRS Symposium to be held in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 5-6.

Related Website
• Pork Checkoff 

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