U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Todd Young (R-IN) joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enhance its response to the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the nation’s animal agriculture sector.
“The United States is now entering the fourth year of an outbreak of HPAI that has devastated farms, required the depopulation of more than 136 million birds on commercial poultry operations, and infected a small but growing number of farm workers,” the lawmakers wrote in a Feb. 18 letter sent to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
“A new urgency is required from the USDA to address the evolving situation,” they wrote.
In their letter, the senators outline solutions that they say could be collaborated on as the administration responds to the outbreak.
For instance, the senators proposed a forward-looking strategy for vaccination in affected laying hens and turkeys, as well as outreach to partners overseas to protect and maintain international trade.
Other suggestions included the establishment of an HPAI Strategic Initiative to engage with industry experts and develop methods for prevention and response, as well as support for states using the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy.
Additionally, the lawmakers proposed ensuring that auditors are both in place and qualified to carry out biosecurity assessments, and revising indemnity rates for laying hens and pullets to accurately compensate impacted producers, according to their letter.
Sen. Ernst led the letter along with 15 of her colleagues, including Sen. Young and U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jerry Moran (R-KS). U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) led a companion letter in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“We stand ready to work with you as you provide leadership on this vitally important issue, the largest animal health outbreak that the department has ever dealt with,” they wrote.