The updated Order will do several things, including changing how emergency funding APHIS received in 2014 will be used. APHIS has reprioritized its needs going forward and will focus all remaining SECD funds towards diagnostic testing. With this modification, the funds should last long enough to cover diagnostic testing through this winter season.

The revised Federal Order will also eliminate the herd plan requirement, as well as reimbursement to veterinarians for completing those plans. And, it will also eliminate reimbursement for biosecurity actions, like truck washing.

In response to a large number of SECD cases that were causing significant hardship for the US swine industry, APHIS issued a Federal Order in June 2014 making SECD a reportable disease.

At the same time, USDA made funds available to cover specific costs associated with the disease. SECD remains a reportable disease, which means that producers, veterinarians, and diagnostic laboratories are required to report all cases of SECD to USDA or State animal health officials. The reporting criteria are unchanged in the updated Federal Order.

Today, USDA is receiving more accurate and timely information about SECD affected herds and their locations, which allows animal health officials to better understand how the disease spreads and what measures are most effective in containing it. The outbreak peaked between January and March 2015.

In the last five months, the weekly average of new confirmed positive premises has dropped 90 per cent when compared to the average number of weekly cases during the peak of the outbreak.