Overview
RFP: Swine Health
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) partnered with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the National Pork Board in 2024 to fund a $4 million research program to enhance prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response capabilities for H5N1 influenza in the U.S. swine herd.
Launched in 2015 with Pork Checkoff funding, the mission of SHIC is to protect and enhance the health of the U.S. swine herd by minimizing the impact of emerging disease threats through preparedness, coordinated communications, global disease monitoring, analysis of swine health data, and targeted research investments. The FFAR is a non-profit organization established in the 2014 Farm Bill to build public-private partnerships that fund bold research addressing food and agriculture challenges.
As part of SHIC’s strategic mission to respond to emerging disease threats, SHIC monitors disease outbreaks nationally and internationally for their potential risks to the US swine herd. H5N1 influenza was identified as an emerging disease threat in 2024 as a priority for US pork industry prevention and preparedness due to the growing number of diverse mammalian species susceptible to infection and the unprecedented H5N1 outbreak impacting dairy herds across the US. First discovered in dairy cattle in March 2024, the spillover of H5N1 into a novel livestock species resulting in a novel clinical presentation warrants the need for investigations into risk and mitigation of a potential incursion into US commercial swine herds.
What Valuable Research Question Does this RFP Address?
Understanding the potential impacts of H5N1 on pork production directly addresses SHIC’s mission to protect the health of the US swine herd and mitigate the risk of emerging diseases.
Research priorities for H5N1 are designed to further strengthen the US swine industry’s prevention and preparedness and to inform response efforts should H5N1 be introduced into commercial swine. Critical research investments are necessary to prevent H5N1 incursions, ensure rapid and accurate detection of H5N1, inform stakeholder responses, mitigate production losses on farms, identify effective control measures, and develop clear messaging to consumers on pork safety.
Research Priorities
Announced in July 2025, the first round of proposal solicitation, selection, and funding is complete. SHIC, FFAR, and NPB are now inviting a second round of proposal submissions from qualified researchers for funding consideration to address H5N1 Risk to Swine research priorities that are not yet adequately addressed.
- Surveillance
- Introduction risks
- Caretakers
- Biosecurity
- Pork safety
- Production impact
- Business continuity
Projects proposing to expand previously funded work from the first RFP that align with the research priorities of this solicitation will also be considered for funding.
Download the PDF for a detailed description of the research priorities.
Criteria for Approval
Proposals should clearly state which of the below SHIC, FFAR, and NPB H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Priorities will be addressed through the project.
Collaborative projects that include the relevant pork industry, allied industry, dairy or poultry industries, academic institutions, and/or public/private partnerships, as applicable, are highly encouraged.
For multi-species projects, proposals should demonstrate adequate scientific and/or industry representation for each species included to ensure meaningful and effective collaboration.
Projects that demonstrate the most urgent and timeliness of completion, provide the greatest value to pork producers, and show efficient use of funds will be prioritized for funding.
Projects are requested to be completed within a 12- to 18-month period with sufficient justification required for extended project duration.
Due Date
The deadline for proposal submission is 5 p.m. CT on March 24, 2026.
Funding Amount
Total funding available for the SHIC, FFAR, and NPB H5N1 Risk to Swine Research Priorities outlined below is $1.8 million.
Individual awards are capped at $250,000, but proposals may exceed the cap if sufficient justification is provided. Matching funds are encouraged but not required; the cap applies only to those funds requested from SHIC, FFAR, and NPB.
All projects should strive to have a high impact, show value to pork producers, and have pork industry-wide benefit.
Proposal Format Requirements
The proposal template and instructions for completion and submission can be found at swinehealth.org.
Questions?
For questions, please contact:
Dr. Megan Niederwerder
[email protected]
785-452-8270
Dr. Lisa Becton
[email protected]
515-724-9491
