WASHINGTON — Today, the USDA announced federal actions to combat highly pathogenic avian influenza. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a $1 billion comprehensive strategy to combat HPAI, protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices. This comes in addition to funding currently being provided to indemnify growers for their depopulated flocks.
“American farmers need relief, and American consumers need affordable food,” Rollins said. “To every family struggling to buy eggs: We hear you, we’re fighting for you, and help is on the way.”
The strategy includes $100 million for vaccine research, reduction in regulatory burdens, and exploring temporary options, $400 million in financial relief for affected farmers and $500 million for biosecurity.
“We applaud Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration for their desire and commitment to combat HPAI across all species — a common goal shared by U.S. broiler producers,” Harrison Kircher, National Chicken Council president, said. “Particularly, we appreciate the measured and science-based approach for the potential use of an effective and applicable vaccine for laying hens and turkeys, and the administration’s commitment to work with our trading partners to minimize any potential negative trade effects should a vaccine ever be used.”
The USDA noted that it will also be expanding Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments nationwide, increasing biosecurity audits, and deploying epidemiologists to help prevent HPAI transmission. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Service (APHIS) will continue compensating farmers for flock losses and explore ways to accelerate repopulation.
The USDA, in collaboration with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, aims to expand the commercial egg supply, reduce regulatory burdens, and address regional egg price disparities. The strategy will be investing $100 million in vaccines, therapeutics, and bio-surveillance. Additionally, the USDA will consider temporary import increases and evaluate international best practices to strengthen U.S. egg production and safety.
“As the administration works to remove unnecessary burdens to bring down the price of eggs, we will continue to encourage FDA to act on our petition to modify an Obama-era regulation that would release up to 400 million surplus broiler hatching eggs into the egg breaking market,” Kircher added.
USDA will also seek and solicit input from state governors, departments of agriculture, veterinarians, as well as poultry and dairy farmers on therapeutic strategies, surveillance and logistics.
Following Secretary Rollins’ remarks on Feb. 26 to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture’s Winter Policy Conference, NASDA CEO Ted McKinney, said, “Swift, collective action is needed to implement a consistent plan, including resources to take needed measures to protect farms and livestock from highly pathogenic avian influenza and limit spread further. Equally important, we must help farmers who have been impacted mitigate the effects of highly pathogenic avian influenza on their farms.”
