The USDA has launched a $1 billion strategy to curb highly pathogenic avian influenza, protect the U.S. poultry industry and lower egg prices.

Vaccines, enhanced biosecurity measures and temporarily increasing egg imports are part of the agency’s solution.

Much of the policy shift was outlined in mid-February but the strategy was announced Feb. 26.

It includes an additional $500 million for biosecurity measures, $400 million in financial relief for affected farmers and $100 million for vaccine research, action to reduce regulatory burdens and exploring temporary export options.

The funding is in addition to help already being provided for farmers for depopulated flocks.

“American farmers need relief, and American consumers need affordable food. To every family struggling to buy eggs: We hear you, we’re fighting for you, and help is on the way,” wrote Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, in a Wall Street Journal commentary piece.

Expanding biosecurity

The USDA will expand its Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments to producers across the nation, starting with egg-layer facilities.

The assessments safeguard farms from transmission from wild birds, which cause 83% of HPAI cases, according to a news release.

Approximately 150 facilities follow these protocols, and there’s been one outbreak among them.

Free biosecurity audits will continue for all HPAI-affected farms and also will be encouraged and made available for surrounding operations.

The USDA will deploy 20 trained epidemiologists as part of its efforts to provide advice to producers on how to reduce HPAI risk.

The agency will share up to 75% of the costs to fix the highest risk biosecurity concerns identified by assessments and audits.

Vaccines, other solutions

The USDA will be “hyper-focused” on a strategy for new vaccines, therapeutics and other solutions to minimize depopulation of egg laying chickens along with increased bio-surveillance and other tactics, according to the news release.

The agency also will work with trading partners to limit impacts to export trade markets from potential vaccination.

New programs are being explored to aid farmers to accelerate the rate of repopulation of affected producers, including ways to simplify the approval process to speed recovery.

The USDA will educate consumers and Congress on the need to fix the problem of geographical price differences in eggs. In California, regulatory burdens and avian flu have resulted in the egg prices 60% higher than other U.S. regions.

Reaction to plan

Gov. Brad Little of Idaho took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to applaud Rollins and her team for “taking on a literal kitchen table issue that Americans care about.”

He said this was exactly the kind of leadership needed from the USDA.

Several other red state politicians and officials and farm industry leaders also thanked Rollins and the USDA in social media posts.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said the strategy was an important first step in supporting farmers and consumers.

“The administration must also confirm it has rehired all avian response staff fired in recent weeks, and ensure that no other avian flu and animal disease response efforts are impacted by recent firings and funding freezes,” she added.

A spokeswoman for the Oregon Department of Agriculture declined to comment on the policy shift, saying it was inappropriate at this point as states lacked specific strategy information.