The 2025 Allen D. Leman Swine Conference brought together more than 700 professionals from the international swine community in St. Paul, Minnesota this past weekend, delivering exactly what attendees have come to expect: cutting-edge science, practical solutions, and challenges to conventional thinking.
Redefining Value and Sustainability
This year’s conference pushed participants to question fundamental assumptions about swine production. In the Morrison Lecture, Dr. Luke Minion invited the industry to consider a paradigm shift away from the relentless pursuit of increased productivity toward sustaining profits through higher value end products. This theme resonated throughout the conference, particularly during the Pijoan Lecture, where Dr. Pedro Urriola expanded our collective understanding of sustainability in swine farming, emphasizing the critical need for systems-based thinking.
The sustainability conversation continued with practical applications. Dr. Paul Thomas challenged conventional wisdom during the standing-room-only sow livability session by asking whether Non-Productive Days could actually become productive for parity one sows
Tackling Disease Challenges with Fresh Perspectives
Disease management dominated much of the scientific program, with speakers bringing both historical context and innovative solutions to persistent challenges. During the Swine Disease Eradication Center Symposium, multiple presentations compared past and present PRRSV variants to answer the question: Are current strains genuinely worse, or are we experiencing recent memory bias?
Dr. Juergen Richt’s keynote fostered conversations around point-of-care testing, particularly relevant given today’s highly virulent pathogen landscape, and the development of a gene-edited pig resilient to influenza.
The neonatal diarrhea session offered hope with new diagnostic testing possibilities and promising results for controlling clinical signs through novel vaccine platforms. Meanwhile, Mark Schwartz showcased the newest technology in airborne biosecurity: electrostatic precipitation, which could add another tool to swine producers’ biosecurity arsenal.
Biosecurity Remains Center Stage
Biosecurity continued as a hot-button topic throughout the conference. The transport biosecurity session, featuring Dr. Corzo’s latest research on trailer recontamination assessment at packing plants, drew many attendees—clear evidence that this remains a critical concern for industry professionals.
Community and Connection
Beyond the science, the conference maintained its reputation for fostering industry connections. Sunday evening offered two great opportunities: attendees could attend Mark Schwartz’s engaging interview with Dr. Laura Bruner during the Beer and Bacon Conversations or dive into the latest research findings during the opening reception’s poster presentations.
The conference also took time to honor distinguished contributions to the field. Monday morning, following the keynote presentations, Dr. Tom Molitor was recognized for his outstanding career as a swine immunologist, mentor to countless swine faculty and students, teaching champion, and avid supporter of the conference. Monday evening’s celebration at the Science Museum of Minnesota honored Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham, the 2025 Swine in Practice awardee. The event provided the perfect backdrop for al fresco dining while watching the sunset over the Mississippi.
The conference concluded on a lighter note with Dr. Ryan Cox’s live demonstration on bacon fabrication, exploring why this product continues to capture America’s culinary imagination—a fitting end that celebrated both the science and culture surrounding pork production.
Thank you to all speakers, attendees, and sponsors for making the 2025 Allen D. Leman swine conference a success. We hope to see you all next year, September 19-22, 2026 in St Paul!