Klobuchar and Grassley press USDA on Avian Flu response

(ABC 6 News) – Senators are pushing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand its efforts to combat the spread of Avian Flu.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Senators Amy Klobuchar (DFL-MN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) press her to broaden the USDA’s strategy for managing avian flu. They want that strategy to include measures for turkeys and dairy herds.

The full letter can be read below.

“Dear Secretary Rollins, 

We are writing with regard to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s February 26, 2025 avian flu strategic plan. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the virus has impacted more than 160 million birds, including more than 18.6 million turkeys, and nearly 1,000 dairy herds across the country. We appreciated your commitment to make addressing avian flu a top priority during your confirmation process and believe this strategic plan is an important first step in this effort. We also appreciate your efforts to address turkeys and dairy cows in response to the outbreak. We encourage you to ensure that the implementation of the February 26, 2025 strategy addresses turkeys, dairy cows, and wildlife.  

While the plan did include shared priorities to continue combating this disease – including the expansion of relief to farmers dealing with outbreaks among their livestock and investment in research – we encourage the plan to include turkeys and dairy cows. Since avian flu has impacted a wide array of animals we believe any biosecurity and vaccine measures, including discussions with foreign trading partners, offered by the Department should be available to all livestock producers dealing with avian flu, including turkey and dairy producers. 

We request an update on the Department’s plan for ensuring turkey producers, dairy and other impacted livestock and wildlife species are covered under the plan. In addition, we request the Department develop a strategy and timeline for working with foreign trading partners to ensure potential vaccination of avian flu in poultry and cattle does not disrupt trade and that the Department provide information to Congress about the expected timeline for conditional approval of an avian flu vaccine for dairy cattle. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response.”