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Committee hears turkey‑industry request for grants to fund bird‑deterrent lasers; amendment to ban raw pet food from culled birds fails
Summary
House File 1503, a proposal to establish grants for bird‑deterrent equipment (often called "turkey lasers") and other biosecurity measures, was laid over for further consideration; an amendment to ban sale of raw pet food made from depopulated birds failed on a 7–6 roll call and a broader amendment was withdrawn.
Representative Buerkle presented House File 1503, a bill to establish a grant program to help poultry producers install wild‑bird deterrents and other prevention measures to reduce the risk of high‑path avian influenza on commercial farms.
Ashley Coles, executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, testified that turkey producers have installed more than 100 lasers across farms in Minnesota and that the devices — green, slow‑moving, randomized laser beams used to discourage birds from landing near barns — are widely used at airports, vineyards and orchards. Coles said the devices are not novel and described them as an additional layer of protection that works alongside existing biosecurity practices. She told the committee that a single laser unit costs roughly $17,000 to $20,000 and that many commercial barns require two units to provide complete coverage.
Witnesses and the sponsor said Minnesota’s turkey industry has taken steps on biosecurity and that the proposal would help farms afford a costly capital purchase. Bruce Clavin, representing the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, said last year’s related funding was rolled into a livestock disease prevention program and that this bill reintroduces a focused prevention grant option.
Representative Hansen offered A2, an amendment that would explicitly ban sale or distribution of raw pet food made from birds or other animals culled due to a high‑path avian influenza depopulation. Michelle Medina of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture told the committee that state and federal rules already bar high‑path positive animals from entering the human or pet food supply and that adulterated food is not allowed under federal definitions; she also noted that food and feed safety involves coordination with FDA and USDA. On a requested roll call, the amendment failed by a 7–6 vote.
Representative Hansen later proposed a sizable A3 amendment that would have added university monitoring of manure, compost and wastewater, provided personal protective equipment and voluntary biomonitoring for agricultural workers, and created rules for randomized distribution of federal biosecurity dollars. Representative Buerkle and others objected to the scope and cost of that amendment; Representative Hansen withdrew A3.
The committee approved a sponsor technical A1 amendment (clean‑up language) and laid House File 1503 over for further consideration.
