The process of preparing for a foreign animal disease (FAD) is never finished. It’s not as simple as attending one weekend seminar and you’re done. Rather, it’s an ongoing and ever evolving process.

In late June, hog farmers and individuals from allied industries met with Iowa’s State Veterinarian Jeff Kaisand and his staff for an exercise to walk through response scenarios if African swine fever (ASF) broke out at a farm in Iowa. What attendees learned — or were reminded of — is that a foreign animal disease outbreak would be...