The 2001 National Barrow Show has been canceled.

Thursday, May 31, 2001

The 2001 National Barrow Show has been canceled.

Officials of the swine show said they chose to cancel the 55th annual event in response to concerns regarding the possible spread of foot and mouth disease.

The show was to be held Sept. 10-12 at the Mower County Fairgrounds in Austin.

"After months of careful consideration, we concluded that conducting the show would not be in the best interests of America’s hog industry," show superintendent Larry Rasch said. "We’re very aware of the anxiety producers are presently facing regarding foot and mouth disease and decided to cancel the event to eliminate the potential for an outbreak of this disease."

The premier event for the purebred hog industry features all eight major purebred breeds, including Berkshire, Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Poland China, Spotted and Yorkshire.

The event is co-sponsored by the National Association of Swine Records, an organization that represents all eight breeds, and Hormel Foods Corp.

Since the show began in Austin in 1946, precautions have continually been taken to ensure the biosecurity of hogs exhibited and sold. A show veterinarian has been enlisted every year to evaluate and monitor the health of all entries.

"Obviously, canceling the event will not only have an effect on the hog industry, but also on Austin and surrounding communities," said Rasch, who has served as show superintendent since 1993. "However, we felt our actions were necessary."

Each year, more than 3,000 people from more than 25 states and several foreign countries attend the three-day show, also known as the "World Series of Swine Shows."

The National Barrow Show attracts about 1,000 purebred breeding stock and truckload pigs and provides educational opportunities for hundreds of college and 4-H and FFA students, who compete in the NBS swine judging contest.

This is not the first hog health concern in the United States to force cancellation of the National Barrow Show in its 55-year history. In 1952, the event was called off because of an outbreak of vesicular exanthema, a viral disease that only affects swine.

Rasch said plans have been made to conduct the next show Sept. 9-11, 2002, in Austin.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.