If you don’t have your premises identification number (PIN) for every location where you raise pigs, you need to do so to be fully prepared for a foreign animal disease (FAD). The first step for getting a PIN is to contact your state animal health official’s office to talk to the identification program coordinator. Producers should be prepared to provide the following information to register for their PIN:
· Name of entity or company
· Contact information for the owner or other appropriate individual
· Type of operation
· Street address, city, state and ZIP code
· Telephone number
· Latitude and longitude, if required by your state as an optional category
Most states request the species of livestock on the site. It is important to note that the number of livestock is not required. The information gathered at the federal level for premises registration is only intended to identify that livestock are present and not the number of animals of each species. To verify an existing PIN, use the Checkoff’s Premises Verification Tool. For more information, contact Patrick Webb, DVM, director of swine health programs, National Pork Board, at pwebb@pork.org.