The current High Pathogenic Avian Flu outbreak has broken records since it began more than a year ago.
U.S. ag officials have spent $670 million dollars to try to get it under control. According to APHIS, the majority has gone to compensation for depopulated birds and eggs. The rest has gone to culling and disposal, personnel, state agreements, and field costs.
To date, HPAI has taken nearly 59 million birds and caused countless losses for producers.
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Assistance for losses due to flooding and wildfire on non-federally managed land
Both Congressional Ag Committees took up the bill over the summer, but there’s no word on when the Senate could move forward; it does expire on September 30.
The $221 million will help farmers and ranchers cover losses from Hurricane Helene that USDA programs didn’t cover. They’ll focus on infrastructure, markets, timber, and future economic losses.
