Eggs move on a conveyor belt at Sunrise Farms in February in Petaluma, Calif. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plans to fight bird flu include easing regulations on poultry and egg producers. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
State departments of agriculture say they welcome an expected federal infusion of up to $1 billion to fight bird flu, including millions of dollars for biosecurity measures on farms, and repayments to farmers who’ve had to cull their poultry flocks.
Some state health officials have been worried about the vast layoffs of scientists across the federal government in recent weeks under Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency task force, known as DOGE.
Officials told Stateline they also worried that by scrubbing some public health data from government websites, the Trump administration may undermine efforts to track the outbreak, and that staff and funding cuts will affect federal labs testing samples for bird flu.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rushed to rehire workers who were involved in responding to the outbreak and had been fired amid the federal workforce cuts.
Then this week, the USDA announced it will deploy 20 epidemiologists as part of its biosecurity audits and wildlife assessments. Those scientists will advise egg producers on how to reduce bird flu risks at their facilities.
That deployment is part of the USDA’s plans to spend up to $1 billion to reduce the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, known as HPAI, in poultry, with the goal of reducing egg prices.
The USDA predicts egg prices will rise 41% in 2025.
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Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, a Republican, said it makes sense to increase research and biosecurity while protecting industry flocks from mass culling.
“While some depopulations may still be necessary in severe cases, this new strategy offers a more sustainable and effective path forward,” Miller wrote in a statement this week. “Reducing our reliance on mass culling is critical to protecting both our nation’s food supply and economy.”
Egg prices have soared amid emergency culling of flocks affected by the H5N1 strain, and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said the plan aims to reduce those egg prices and support poultry farmers who have losses.
More than 166 million birds across all 50 states have been infected nationwide since 2022, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over the past month, the virus has been confirmed in 139 flocks, both commercial and backyard.
Last year, the virus began infecting dairy cow herds, and it has been found in more than 200 mostly wild or feral mammals, according to the CDC. The agency reports that 70 people, mostly farmworkers, have been infected.
Now, the USDA says, it has a new five-point plan: increasing biosecurity measures to lessen poultry exposure to wild birds, which are behind much of the spread, as well as audits at infected farms; offering funding aid to farmers to help them repopulate flocks; relaxing regulations on the chicken and egg industry; allocating funds toward vaccine and therapeutic research; and exploring whether to temporarily import eggs for consumers.
USDA rolls out $1 billion plan to combat bird flu after egg prices rise
Mike Naig, Iowa’s secretary of agriculture, said he supports a new vaccination strategy and payments to farmers who’ve lost their birds.
“I encourage USDA to work closely with state animal health officials, farmers and industry to formulate an implementation strategy, incorporate valuable lessons learned, and minimize potential negative trade impacts,” Naig, a Republican, said in a statement.
The federal agency plans to pay up to 75% of costs to fix biosecurity vulnerabilities at egg-laying chicken facilities. Rollins also announced up to $400 million in financial relief for farmers whose flocks have been affected by the disease, and up to $100 million toward vaccine and treatment research into the virus.
She spoke Wednesday with members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture; the organization praised the plan and said states are eager to be involved.
“NASDA stands ready to collaborate with USDA and federal agencies to ensure the United States’ collective response to HPAI is coordinated, efficient and effective at all levels,” Ted McKinney, the organization’s CEO, said in a statement.
Like the SC Daily Gazette, Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.