U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced a $1 billion-dollar comprehensive strategy to curb highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), protect the U.S. poultry industry, and lower egg prices. This is in addition to funding already being provided to indemnify growers for depopulated flocks.

As the Secretary detailed in the Wall Street Journal, the five-step strategy includes an additional $500 million for biosecurity measures, $400 million in financial relief for affected farmers, and $100 million for vaccine research, action to reduce regulatory burdens, and exploring temporary import options.

The five-step strategy includes:

1. Strengthening Biosecurity – Expanding Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments nationwide, starting with egg-layer facilities, to prevent transmission from wild birds. Increased biosecurity audits will be required for affected farms to qualify for indemnification, and USDA will cover up to 75% of necessary biosecurity improvements, investing up to $500 million.
2. Farmer Relief & Repopulation – APHIS will continue indemnification for depopulated flocks and explore ways to accelerate repopulation. Up to $400 million will support these efforts.
3. Regulatory Reforms – USDA aims to ease restrictions on the egg industry, expand commercial egg supply, and address price disparities caused by regulatory burdens.
4. Vaccines & Therapeutics – Investing up to $100 million in research on vaccines and treatments while considering trade impacts and public health concerns.
5. Import-Export Adjustments – Exploring temporary import increases and export reductions to stabilize egg supply and evaluating international best practices.