** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE U.S. SWINE INDUSTRY IS BEING CHALLENGED TO IMPROVE ANIMAL WELFARE WHILE OPTIMIZING PIG PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENTLY USE INPUTS SUCH AS LABOR AND FEED, AND TRAIN STOCKPEOPLE TO CARE FOR AND HANDLE PIGS. PRECISION LIVESTOCK FARMING (PLF) USES TECHNOLOGY TO HELP MONITOR AND MANAGE ANIMALS ON FARM AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SIMULTANEOUSLY ADDRESS THESE SEEMINGLY INTRACTABLE CHALLENGES. HOWEVER, PLF TECHNOLOGY IS NOT WIDELY USED ON U.S. SWINE FARMS BECAUSE TWO KEY QUESTIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN ANSWERED: (A) WHAT TECHNOLOGIES DOES THE SWINE INDUSTRY WANT AND (B) HOW MUCH WILL END USERS BE WILLING TO PAY? OUR OVERALL PROJECT GOAL IS TO IMPROVE PIG HEALTH AND WELFARE BY WORKING WITH U.S. SWINE INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS (FROM CONCEPTION TO CONSUMPTION), TO UNDERSTAND PERCEPTIONS, NEEDS AND BARRIERS RELATIVE TO PLF USE ON FARMS. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF ANIMAL AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, ECONOMISTS, VETERINARIANS, AND EXTENSION PERSONNEL WILL COMPLETE FIVE OBJECTIVES TO MEET THIS GOAL: 1) DEVELOP AN ADVISORY BOARD OF STAKEHOLDERS, PIG FARMERS, AND PLF TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE ADVICE AND SHARE OUR FINDINGS WITH THEIR COHORTS; 2) SURVEY FARMERS AND VETERINARIANS TO UNDERSTAND PERCEPTIONS AND NEEDS FOR PLF TO MANAGE PIGS; 3) INTERVIEW INFLUENCERS ACROSS THE US SWINE INDUSTRY TO EXAMINE PERCEPTIONS AND NEEDS FOR PLF AND THE DATA PLF CAN GENERATE; 4) SURVEY PIG FARMERS AND PORK CONSUMERS TO ASSESS WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR PLF; AND 5) SHARE INFORMATION WITH U.S. SWINE FARMERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PORK INDUSTRY TO ENCOURAGE ADOPTION OF USEFUL AND USABLE PRECISION LIVESTOCK FARMING TECHNOLOGY ON US PIG FARMS. WE EXPECT TO LEARN ABOUT HOW FARMERS FEEL ABOUT USING PLF TECHNOLOGY TO MANAGE PIGS AS WELL AS WHAT THEY WANT FROM PLF AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT. WE WILL ALSO LEARN ABOUT HOW OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SWINE INDUSTRY VIEW PLF AND THE DATA IT GENERATES AND HOW THEY MIGHT USE SUCH INFORMATION. WE WILL ALSO LEARN HOW CONSUMERS OF PORK VIEW THE USE OF PLF TECHNOLOGY ON FARMS TO MONITOR AND MANAGE PIGS AND POTENTIALLY IMPROVE THEIR WELFARE--AND WHETHER THIS IS WORTH PAYING MORE FOR PORK. IN THE SHORT-TERM, OUR FINDINGS CAN BE USED TO HELP FARMERS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT PLF TO USE ON THEIR FARMS AND TO OPEN DIALOG BETWEEN VARIOUS GROUPS WITHIN THE SWINE INDUSTRY SURROUNDING THE ADOPTION OF PLF ON FARMS. ULTIMATELY, KNOWLEDGE WE GAIN ABOUT PLF IN THE U.S. SWINE INDUSTRY CAN BE USED TO HELP DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY THAT DOES HELP FARMERS MANAGE THEIR PIGS MORE EFFICIENTLY AND HUMANELY WHILE PROVIDING INFORMATION TO OTHER GROUPS RANGING FROM CONSUMERS TO CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO PORK PRODUCTION.