When the word "disease" is mentioned in a sentence these days, chances are most people think of coronavirus. But agriculture can't lose focus on the fact that a range of potential bacteria and viruses target crops and livestock everyday.

In this episode of Around Farm Progress, Paula Mohr, editor of The Farmer magazine in Minnesota, shares that the state has developed a framework for farmers to use in developing their own COVID-19 response plans. And Mohr offers a warning on the crops side for two newer diseases farmers should be on the lookout for in 2020.

Ann Hess, editor of National Hog Farmer, has focused plenty of effort on coronavirus coverage, but the swine industry is dealing with some other issue too. Announcement of the new foot-and-mouth-disease vaccine bank being created is good news for the industry and she discusses what that move means. She also shares insight on further research being done with African Swine Fever.

A global pandemic can draw a lot of attention away from the important day-to-day parts of agriculture. Mohr and Hess offer proof that experts that support agriculture aren't losing focus on longer-term issues impacting food production.

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