Keeping informed is becoming critical these days as outbreaks of disease or other concerns arise in the livestock industry. The National Pork Board has announced a new pork industry text news service they're calling "Pork Crisis Alert" aimed to immediately deliver essential information to U.S. pork producers in the event of a major industry-wide emergency.

National Pork Board wants to alert you of industry emergencies by text. (Photo: John Grass/Getty)

In a press statement, Derrick Sleezer, NPB president, and Cherokee, Iowa, pig farmer, says: "Every day, America's pork producers are busy on their farms and may not always have immediate access to information that could impact their operation. Disease outbreaks and other emergency situations can spread quickly, so America's pig farmers need a news service to notify them immediately and enable them to take early action to safeguard their farms."

When a pork industry emergency is declared, the Pork Crisis Alert will text instructions to farmers alerting them on how to access key information and other critical resources online. Or they will be directed to contact the Pork Checkoff Service Center at 800-456-7675. The new alert is just one part of the Pork Checkoff's overall risk management program, which was defined in the strategic plan rolled out in 2015.

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Pork Crisis Alert texts are to be sent strictly in the event of a true industry-wide emergency, according to the organization. The texts will "never be used for activities unrelated to emergency communications." The database of subscribers will never be used for marketing or shared with any third parties. The system will also be tested two times per year - a kind of emergency broadcast network test - to make sure the system retains with NPB calls "operational accuracy" for those who enroll in the program.

Sleezer says signup is easy, just text PorkCrisis to 97296. "I encourage all pork producers and farm employees to opt-in to receive these important alerts. The program is like insurance in the sense that, while we hope we never need it, it is reassuring to have state-of-the-art communications resources at our fingertips."

The service is free, though message and data rates will apply. You can learn more about Pork Crisis Alerts by calling the Pork Checkoff Service Center. And if you opt-in you can cancel at any time. Check out the terms and privacy policies at pork.org/smsterms.

Source: National Pork Board