Wicker & Cochran Seek USDA Action to Deal with Avian Flu Threat
Statement
U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss., today signed a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asking that action be taken to ensure the continued viability of the U.S. poultry industry should additional outbreaks of high path avian flu occur this fall or later.
The letter, authored by Cochran and signed by Wicker and eight other Senators, seeks action on three issues of importance to Southern boiler operations as the U.S. Department of Agriculture determines how best to implement its Fall 2015 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Preparedness and Response Plan. (http://1.usa.gov/1iB7WF4)
"Mississippi's poultry industry is a major contributor to the state's economy, supporting thousands of jobs and bringing in billions of dollars each year," Wicker said. "It is critical that we proactively prepare for an outbreak. USDA needs to expand financial protections for vulnerable businesses in the event that high path avian influenza is detected in our state."
"Precautions should be taken now to help protect poultry producers from avian influenza," Cochran said. "We have asked the Department of Agriculture to take actions that could help the poultry industry in Mississippi and other states overcome potentially devastating losses."
The Mississippi Senators are working to ensure the USDA has policies in place that, if necessary, would help the state protect an industry that is Mississippi's largest agricultural commodity. The industry, which directly employs more than 25,000 people, earned $2.8 billion in product value in 2014 through the production of 738 million broilers. The state last year exported $233 million worth of frozen and fresh poultry.
In response to detections, USDA must depopulate affected flocks to prevent the spread of HPAI, which could easily result in the loss of 100,000 birds or more. While the USDA compensates owners for such losses, its current regulations do not take growers into consideration, in the case of contract broiler operations.
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