Senators urge USDA to act fast on bird flu
A bipartisan group of senators, led by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), sent a letter urging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to strengthen the USDA’s response to the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak, the largest animal health crisis in U.S. history. The outbreak has led to the depopulation of over 136 million birds and affected farm workers. The senators advocate for measures including vaccination strategies, an HPAI Strategic Initiative for prevention and response, and movement controls for animals at risk. They also call for improvements to HPAI indemnities, criticizing current rates as inadequate and highlighting the need for better outreach to affected farmers. The letter was co-signed by several bipartisan senators who pledged to support Rollins in addressing the crisis.
