Feenstra Leads Letter to Secretary of Agriculture Calling for Enhanced Response to Avian Bird Flu

HULL, IOWA – Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) led a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins asking that the U.S. Department of Agriculture strengthen the agency's effort to resolve the ongoing outbreak of High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) affecting poultry and dairy producers across the country. 

In the letter, Feenstra, along with 22 other members of Congress, urges the USDA to pursue an aggressive and forward-looking vaccination strategy for affected species, the establishment of an HPAI Strategic Initiative to improve research and methods of response, and movement controls that apply to all animals that present disease risk.

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) led the companion letter in the U.S. Senate.

“Representing the top egg-producing district in the country, it is a top priority for me to get the bird flu outbreak under control, support our producers as they work to repopulate their flocks, and bring egg prices down for our families. That’s why I led a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins asking that the USDA do everything possible to address this crisis, proactively prevent the spread of foreign animal disease, and help our farmers mitigate outbreaks when they occur,” said Rep. Feenstra. “We must also look towards an aggressive strategy to protect our flocks from disease, establish a Strategic Initiative to combat the spread of bird flu, and make indemnity payment rates fairer for our producers. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and Secretary Rollins to promote biosecurity on our farms, lower the price of eggs, and support our farmers and producers throughout this process.”

The lawmakers wrote, “We support measures that have been proposed to you by egg and turkey farmers, many of whose operations have suffered HPAI outbreaks. These measures include the following: 

• An aggressive, forward-looking strategy for vaccination in affected species, including the acquisition of vaccine stockpiles, field trials of vaccines, the development of more practical methods of vaccine administration, and outreach to trading partners to ensure trade is not significantly impacted and that they understand the need for vaccines and abide by international standards for maintaining trade;
• An HPAI Strategic Initiative to engage experts within industry, universities and government to expand knowledge and develop novel methods of prevention, detection and response; and
• Movement controls that apply to all animals that present risks and support for states moving quickly through the first four stages of USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy.”

“Accelerated development of effective H5N1 vaccines for dairy cattle, combined with a risk-based vaccine deployment strategy which mitigates trading partner concerns, is a top priority for the U.S. dairy industry to control this novel virus in dairy cattle,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation.

The full letter can be found HERE.

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