(Washington D.C.) U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, secured critical relief for Iowa poultry farmers who have been affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza while simultaneously moving forward a strategy to drive down egg prices for consumers.
Following an announcement from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be implementing many of Ernst’s recommendations to enhance the agency’s response to the ongoing outbreak, Ernst continued to amplify the experiences of producers at today’s Senate Agriculture Committee hearing.
She emphasized the impact of the outbreak on Iowa producers and asked witnesses about the importance a vaccination strategy to protect laying hens and turkeys from the virus while also maintaining export access to international markets.
Following the increase in HPAI outbreaks in both Iowa poultry flocks and dairy herds, Joni Ernst has also worked to hold federal agencies accountable to provide public and state agencies with coordinated, up-to-date, and accurate information on the spread of HPAI.
