Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee heard pleas from turkey, egg, dairy and livestock producers for an accelerated, coordinated federal response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), greater support for other animal diseases and protections for export markets.

Witnesses described recent outbreaks that they said have caused large bird losses, prompted credit stress and driven some producers to exit production. They urged USDA and Congress to speed access to vaccines and to create a strategic initiative that coordinates disease response, trade negotiations and indemnity programs.

John Zimmerman, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, told the committee that the turkey industry is facing a ‘‘one-two punch’’ of HPAI and avian metapneumovirus (AMPV): "AMPV is more subtle, but equally impactful due to its ability to significantly reduce egg sets of the breeder stock that produces the next generation of turkeys and cause severe prolonged mortality in commercial flocks." Zimmerman said AMPV currently lacks indemnity eligibility and asked that Congress make it eligible under USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program.

Why it matters: witnesses said HPAI and related respiratory viruses have disrupted supplies of eggs and poultry products, raised input and financing costs, and created long-term trade questions that could affect U.S. exports.

Key details and requests

- Disease scale and economic impact: Tony Wesner of Rose Acre Farms and the United Egg Producers said the industry has lost roughly 10 million birds to HPAI since 2015, with about 6 million lost since January of the current year; he noted 6 million of those recent losses were layers. Zimmerman said AMPV has affected 60–80% of turkey flocks in some areas and Minnesota alone reported more than 127 HPAI cases in commercial turkeys that led to losses exceeding 6.6 million birds.

- Vaccination and research: Witnesses urged a clear, rapid pathway for vaccine importation, approval and deployment. Zimmerman and Wesner both called for expedited, coordinated vaccine strategies that also address trade implications; Zimmerman said the first imported AMPV modified-live vaccine doses have reached Minnesota farms but criticized the timeline for USDA’s review as too slow.

- Indemnity and emergency assistance: Producers asked Congress to preserve and adequately fund indemnity programs, noting USDA indemnity payments of about $1.4 billion since 2022 (testimony figure) and urging the committee to ensure compensation reflects producers’ losses and helps maintain credit access.

- Trade and market access: Multiple witnesses emphasized that a vaccination strategy and disease-control plan must be paired with proactive engagement with trading partners to avoid unnecessary market disruptions. Zimmerman said any vaccination strategy should be paired with “proactive engagement with our trading partners to mitigate market disruptions.”

- Broader livestock priorities: Cattle and sheep representatives asked for continued attention to regulatory burdens, enforcement of trade commitments, and targeted support for wool, lamb and beef markets. Buck Wehrbein of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association urged blocking future regulatory overreach under the Packers and Stockyards Act and reiterated support for timely farm-bill passage. Ben LaFeldt of the American Sheep Industry Association asked for a wool marketing loan-rate update and modernization of the sheep herder guest worker program.

Senators’ reaction and next steps

Committee members from both parties pressed for faster action. Several senators — including the chair and ranking member — asked for follow-up briefings and expressed support for a strategic, government-led task force to align vaccine development, indemnity, research funding and trade diplomacy. Secretary Rollins’s office announced a set of measures earlier in the day; witnesses welcomed the attention but asked for details and inclusion of all affected species (turkeys, layers, eggs, dairy and swine where applicable).

Speakers

- John Zimmerman — Chairman, National Turkey Federation (industry representative).
- Tony Wesner — CEO, Rose Acre Farms; representing United Egg Producers (industry representative).
- Harold Horrigan — Dairy producer, board member of Dairy Farmers of America (dairy sector representative).
- Buck Wehrbein — President, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (livestock sector representative).
- Ben LaFeldt — President, American Sheep Industry Association (sheep industry representative).
- Chair Bozeman and Ranking Member Klobuchar — Committee leadership who led questioning.

Authorities and programs cited (as discussed in testimony)

- USDA Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and Emergency Livestock Assistance programs (ELAP) (indemnity/assistance programs)
- National Animal Health Laboratory Network; National Animal Vaccine Bank; National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (programs discussed by senators and witnesses)
- USMCA and other trade agreements (trade frameworks referenced during Q&A)

Discussion versus decisions

- Discussion points: scale of HPAI and AMPV impacts; need for vaccine pathways and research; trade consequences of vaccination strategies; indemnity adequacy and speed.
- Directions: senators requested additional briefings and urged USDA to coordinate animal health experts and trading-partner engagement; some asked for language in the farm bill to strengthen animal-disease programs and indemnity mechanisms.
- Formal decisions: none recorded at the hearing.

Clarifying details extracted from testimony

- Industry losses: United Egg Producers estimated roughly 10 million birds lost to HPAI since 2015 and about 6 million since January of the current year (source: Tony Wesner testimony).
- Minnesota turkey losses: testimony cited 127 HPAI cases in commercial turkeys with more than 6.6 million birds lost in Minnesota (source: John Zimmerman testimony).
- Indemnity payments: witness testimony cited roughly $1.4 billion in indemnity paid since 2022 (source: Tony Wesner testimony).

Proper names mentioned

- United Egg Producers (organization)
- National Turkey Federation (organization)
- Dairy Farmers of America (cooperative)
- National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (organization)
- National Animal Health Laboratory Network (program)

Community relevance

- Geographies: Minnesota, Iowa, Vermont, Indiana, Nebraska and other major livestock-producing states; international trade partners (Canada, Mexico and other export markets).
- Impact groups: poultry and egg producers, turkey growers, dairy farmers, livestock feeders, downstream processors and export customers.

Meeting context

- Engagement level: high; the second panel drew extensive Q&A and crosscutting concerns about disease, trade and program responses.
- Implementation risk: high for vaccine and trade measures because veterinary approvals, international trading rules and production logistics complicate rapid deployment.

Searchable_tags["avian_influenza","HPAI","AMPV","vaccination","indemnity","livestock","poultry","dairy","trade"]

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