The Pork 360 auditor cohort convened on 20 February to review findings from the 2025 audit cycle and to workshop the proposed updates to the Pork 360 Farms Standard. The meeting brought together the auditing veterinarians to evaluate current challenges facing the sector – particularly the ongoing African swine fever (ASF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks – and to align on the programme’s strategic priorities for the coming year.
New farm standard slated for 2026
Auditors unanimously agreed that the revised Pork 360 Farms Standard will be published in 2026, incorporating several targeted updates to strengthen on-farm biosecurity and disease response.
A key priority identified for the next edition is the need for farmers to develop more detailed contingency plans to address disease outbreak preparedness and response. This follows the sector’s experience with prolonged disease crises, which highlighted gaps in standardised emergency planning.
To support farmers, the SAPPO office will develop and circulate a proposed template and guidance outlining the core elements that must be included in these contingency plans.
Improvac audit option to be added in 2026
The auditors endorsed the introduction of an optional Improvac audit, allowing farmers to incorporate it into their existing Pork 360 audit process. This will allow farmers to provide potential buyers with assurance of the implementation of Improvac vaccination and, therefore, the status of male pig carcasses.
The protocol for the combined audit has already been finalised in collaboration with Zoetis and will be implemented as part of the 2026 audit cycle.
Ad hoc disease-focused session addresses ASF and FMD pressures
A special session dedicated to disease management was chaired by Dr Susan Rodakis, chairperson of the Pig Veterinary Society (PVS). Veterinarians whose clients have been directly affected by ASF and FMD provided detailed accounts of clinical findings, spread patterns, control challenges, and recommendations.
Key ASF concerns discussed
Participants engaged in an in‑depth discussion on operational constraints around ASF control, including:
- farm unit structural considerations (sow units, weaner/grower systems, separate grower pods);
- complications during slaughter and transport, including stressed batches and handling of positive abattoir batches; and
- the potential use of abattoirs as controlled culling sites, balanced against legal, certification, and capacity limitations.
The complexities surrounding ‘day zero’ identification and abattoir designation were highlighted as critical pain points requiring clearer policy definition.
FMD: Prolonged lesions, backlogs, and ongoing uncertainty
FMD-affected commercial units reported a range of persistent operational challenges:
- Extended lesion timelines delaying clearance
- Significant backlogs, with one site carrying an estimated 2 000 pigs awaiting slaughter
- Uncertainty around day zero validation
- Insufficient approved slaughter capacity for affected farms
- Continuing debates over the appropriate balance between vaccination strategies and stamping‑out approaches, given vaccine supply constraints, administration capacity, and unclear immunity duration
Participants emphasised the need for a standardised, government-approved sampling framework, improved diagnostic validation, and coordinated applied research to address unresolved epidemiological and operational questions.
The path ahead
The meeting reaffirmed the Pig Veterinary Society’s commitment to continuous improvement, science‑based disease control, and robust certification standards. With major disease pressures reshaping national pig production, the decisions taken by Pork 360 auditors signal a clear focus on resilience, standardisation, and farmer support ahead of the 2026 audit cycle.
