Iowa Livestock Health Advisory Council

The Iowa Livestock Health Advisory Council (ILHAC) was created in 1977 to strengthen Iowa's animal-agriculture industry as a cooperative effort between Iowa livestock industry stakeholders, the State of Iowa and the ISU CVM. ILHAC is funded through Education Appropriations.

Next Meeting: February, 2024

Impact of ILHAC Funding

The ILHAC line-item funding in Education Appropriations has remained at $172,844 for many years, while Iowa's livestock production industry has grown substantially. ILHAC-funded research grants provide seed money to advance the health, well-being and profitability of Iowa's $32.6 billion-dollar livestock production industry. Research priorities are set by producers each year based on current challenges. Modest increases in this line-item funding can lead to high-impact outcomes in animal health and welfare, food safety, and trade and economic viability.

The Multiplier Effect

From 2009-2016, every $1 of ILHAC research dollars spent generated an additional $11.63 in research dollars to the College of Veterinary Medicine from outside sources.

Examples include:

  • Improving the safety of meat, poultry, and milk
  • Developing vaccines and diagnostics for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and swine influenza
  • Developing tools to measure welfare and mitigate pain in food animals
  • Understanding the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, improving diagnosis, and developing new alternatives