Hoosier State Today

Senators Todd Young and Joni Ernst, along with several colleagues, have taken steps to address the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) by sending a bipartisan letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The letter aims to enhance the USDA's response to this issue.

The lawmakers highlighted the severity of the outbreak, stating, "The United States is now entering the fourth year of an outbreak of HPAI that has devastated farms, required the depopulation of more than 136 million birds on commercial poultry operations, and infected a small but growing number of farm workers. A new urgency is required from the USDA to address the evolving situation." They also expressed their readiness to support the USDA's leadership in handling what they describe as "the largest animal health outbreak that the department has ever dealt with."

In addition to Senators Young and Ernst, other senators including Chuck Grassley, Amy Klobuchar, John Cornyn, Tina Smith, Thom Tillis, Mark R. Warner, Tedd Budd, Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff, Bernie Moreno, Roger Marshall, David McCormick, and Jerry Moran signed the letter. Congressman Randy Feenstra led a similar effort in the House of Representatives with a companion letter.

The full text of their correspondence is available for public viewing.