WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins rolled out the agency’s $1 billion plan to lessen the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak and deal with the major increases in egg prices around the United States.
The USDA plans to invest $500 million in what they call “gold-standard biosecurity measures.” The agency will be expanding the Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments designed to safeguard farms from wild bird transmission, which is the cause of 83% of the HPAI cases.
The USDA will also provide free audits for producers affected by HPAI. The agency plans to share up to 75% of the costs to address growers’ biosecurity concerns identified by the assessments and audits.
Another agency approach consists of up to $400 million to indemnify producers who must depopulate their flock to control HPAI spread.
In the plan, Rollins explained that the USDA will explore pathways for vaccines, therapeutics and other strategies to minimize depopulation. The USDA still has not authorized the use of vaccines for poultry. The agency expects to work with governors, state agriculture departments, state veterinarians and poultry and dairy farmers on vaccines and other strategies to invest up to $100 million for this approach and determine where it could be used.
A vaccine from Zoetis was given conditional approval last week. However, poultry industry groups and other stakeholders continue to raise trade concerns with vaccinating flocks in the United States.
Another step in the plan will be the possibility of temporarily increasing egg imports and decreasing exports. Turkey is expected to export 15,000 tonnes of eggs into the United States until July, according to a Reuters report last week.
Rollins and the USDA said it would try to remove “unnecessary regulatory burdens” for the industry to help farmers and consumers.
In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, Rollins said some of the money would come from USDA spending cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Following the initial plan by Rollins and the USDA, Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) expressed his thoughts on the initial plan from the Trump administration.
“Producers and consumers alike have experienced the economic burden of this outbreak since 2022,” Boozman said. “I look forward to working with USDA to ensure all poultry and livestock producers’ unique challenges are taken into consideration and they have the tools they need to address animal disease risks.”
The National Chicken Council also provided its support for the initial plan for the federal government.
“We applaud Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration for their desire and commitment to combat HPAI across all species — a common goal shared by US broiler producers,” said Harrison Kircher, president of NCC. “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.”
With HPAI also impacting the pet food industry, Pet Food Institute (PFI) expressed its support in the plan.
“PFI thanks USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins for introducing a comprehensive strategy to combat HPAI, which has been devastating for America’s poultry farmers, who are trusted by US pet food makers to provide the high-quality ingredients used in cat and dog food,” said Dana Brooks, president and chief executive officer of PFI.
“US pet food makers look forward to participating in discussions on how to best support USDA in implementing this critical five-point plan over the coming months,” she added. “This includes working to ensure that egg imports meet strict US safety standards so they can be used in safe, complete and balanced pet food that is fed to dogs and cats in 82 million US households, as well as expanding the Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments pilot program and working with partners to explore possible vaccine and therapeutics options.”
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