Factors Associated With Biosecurity Preparedness for Foreign Animal Diseases Among Swine Farms in the United States Territory of Puerto Rico.

Successful responses to foreign animal diseases (FADs) such as African Swine Fever (ASF) in swine populations depend on the timely planning and implementation of effective biosecurity measures at the farm level. This study aimed to characterize biosecurity preparedness among swine farms in Puerto Rico and to identify geographic areas with higher biosecurity-related vulnerabilities across the island. Data were collected from 95 swine farms from seven regions using an adapted form of the enhanced biosecurity plan templates available from the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan, a nationally recognized framework. Biosecurity scores were calculated using 37 captured variables related to biosecurity measures and transformed into a percentage. The overall average biosecurity score was 42.8% ± 4.5%. Lower regional-level biosecurity scores were observed in western regions. Although some operational practices, such as feed storage management and the use of dedicated vehicles and equipment, showed higher levels of adoption, critical components such as the availability of equipment necessary for depopulation and manure storage capacity to prevent the introduction and spread of highly relevant pathogens were often lacking, particularly regarding producer-level knowledge and preparedness. Overall, farms housing multiple species showed significantly lower biosecurity scores, while larger herd sizes being associated with higher biosecurity scores (p ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that biosecurity implementation remains limited across many farms, particularly among multi-species and smaller-scale operations, highlighting the need for targeted and context-adapted biosecurity outreach and preparedness efforts in Puerto Rico, particularly in western regions located closer to ASF-endemic areas in the Caribbean.