Porcine Epidemic
Diarrhea Virus (PEDV)
Acknowledgement
United States Department of Agriculture Funding
Proposal Title: A Human Behavioral Approach to Reducing the Impact of Livestock Pest or
Disease Incursions of Socioeconomic Importance
Work is in progress
The USDA is not responsible for the content of this presentation.
Learning from the PEDV Crisis
Plan for today’s presentation:
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Lessons Learned from PEDV
Mega Crises and Self-Organization
Acknowledging Vulnerability
Enhancing risk communication and crisis planning networks for all parties
Pertinent messages for biosecurity
Generalizing to for similar diseases.
Lessons Learned from PEDV
The introduction of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) into the United States in 2013 has
caused harm to the pork industry in many ways.
There is one potential upside -- the industry has pulled together like never before to find a
solution to this costly disease.
New or Exotic Diseases can Reach the
Mega Crisis Stage
Mega Crises bear the same features of a crisis, but at a greater magnitude. They bring
unprecedented levels of destruction, uncertainty, urgency, and defy boundaries and linear
consequences (Helsloot et al., 2012).
The pork industry in the United States is a $23.4 billion industry that provides 547,800 jobs
among the 67,000 producers across the country (Pork Facts, 2014).
Crises and the Self-Organization Process
Chaos theory: systems (organizations) act in random, non-linear ways and behavior is only
observable, not predictable.
◦ But systems do not stay in chaos forever and eventually achieve new norms through self-organization
Crises create a sense of commonality and community… shared values, needs, goals. Etc. become
more salient in the face of a crisis (Seeger, 2002)
Self-organization is based largely on the exchange of information. Organizational members need
both access to information and the freedom to interpret that information (Liska et al., 2012)
How do we get 547,800 people to buy into the process of self-organization to achieve necessary
goals?
Acknowledge Vulnerability
From a practical standpoint, producers, exhibitors, livestock haulers and anyone handling pigs or
coming on to a farm must practice strict biosecurity to help protect against the spread of PEDV:
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Farm employees
Feed distributors
Animal Haulers
Introduction of new animals to a farm
Veterinarians
Farm visitors
and many more . . .
How can risk communication (pre-crisis
planning) best address this diverse audience?
Knowing the critical control points and plan
ahead
Having communication networks in place.
Accept uncertainty
Provide suggestions for self-protection
The Goal
Create Guidelines for a “Clean Crossing”
• PPE
• Proper disposal
• Washing supplies
• Decontamination of truck, trailer, etc.
Protective Actions
Ultimate Goal: Self-Organization Among all
Parties to Generalize PEDv lessons to other
crises
Conclusions
◦ A PEDV outbreak in the swine population has the potential to create a mega crisis for the pork
industry with major consequences for the food system
◦ 2013 outbreak has increased risk salience and united industry in a common goal
◦ Self organization builds on commonality and community to bring together all parties to achieve new
norms
◦ Self-organization is essential for buy-in from a diverse group of people all of whom constitute critical
control points
◦ Creating pre-crisis networks for effective information dissemination is key
◦ Messages for self-protection are critical