The National SPF Swine Accrediting Agency, Inc., is not new. The SPF concept dates back to May of 1952 when Dr. George Young and Dr. Norman Underdahl performed the first sow hysterectomy at the George A. Hormel packing plant in Austin, Minnesota.

The basic concept established then, remains today. The technology used in the production of SPF pigs is designed to eliminate and prevent certain chronic growth retarding diseases. This is accomplished by surgically removing the pigs from the sow, rearing them in isolation and placing the pigs on isolated farms for normal growth and reproduction. The offspring of these "lab" pigs are then used to repopulate other farms.

This surgical procedure of removing the pig from the diseased environment of the sow provides a break in the disease cycle making it possible to obtain and raise pigs free of clinical evidence of certain diseases and external parasites.