U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra (R-IA), along with colleagues from the House Agriculture Committee, is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a strategic plan to combat Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)” In a letter co-signed by Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Jim Costa (D-CA), and Don Davis (D-NC), Feenstra highlighted the devastating impact of HPAI on Iowa, which has seen nearly 25 percent of the over 100 million birds affected nationwide since the outbreak began in 2022. Feenstra emphasized the need for the USDA to develop new biosecurity measures, explore vaccination efforts, and find more efficient methods for depopulating infected flocks. He noted that the financial toll from the current outbreak could exceed the $3.3 billion in damages from the 2014-2015 outbreak. Feenstra says, “The uncertainty that HPAI causes to the entire agricultural community is unsustainable, and we need to be doing more to adequately protect our flocks. USDA has the authority to establish a HPAI Strategic Initiative and I look forward to working with Secretary Vilsack to get this collaborative research started as soon as possible. Representing the top egg-producing district and one of the top poultry-producing districts in the country, I will continue to advocate for policies that help our poultry and egg producers succeed and combat the root causes of bird flu outbreaks.” A link to the representatives’ full letter is included below.
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