U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday that the USDA will begin helping dairy producers affected by recent outbreaks of High-Path Avian Flu (HPAI) H5N1 in dairy cattle.
USDA will allow APHIS to spend $98 million for several relief efforts aimed at increasing biosecurity, testing, and compensation for lost milk production. Some of the measures include helping producers cover shipping costs for the required tests.
The Department will also offer financial support for protective gear for affected herds but only if those operations agree to participate in a CDC workplace study.
The full list of actions:
FACT SHEET: USDA, HHS Announce New Actions to Reduce Impact and Spread of H5N1Related Stories
Experts estimate the flooding from Hurricane Helene caused more than $1.3 billion in damage to Tennessee agriculture.
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.
As the Trump Administration seeks out new global trade partnerships, Congress is considering more support for farmers, which comes as the Federal Reserve warns that farmers need a safety net.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins will travel to Europe and Asia to seek new trade partnerships for U.S. crops after China reduced imports due to tariffs.
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.
Tom Peterson with the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association says taxpayers are “unfortunate casualties” of this overlay now that the Mexican wolf population is stable under ESA guidelines.
