Secretary Rollins announces $1 billion plan to combat avian flu, egg prices
On Feb. 26, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins outlined a plan to systematically control highly pathogenic avian influenza and lower egg prices for consumers. As of January 2025, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the average cost of a dozen eggs in the United States is $4.95.
“There is no silver bullet to eradicating avian flu,” Rollins said. “That is why we have developed a five-pronged strategy to curb outbreaks and restore inexpensive eggs.”
Rollins’ plans will devote $1 billion in funding to help stop the avian flu spread that has plagued the poultry and dairy industry for several years, leading to the culling of an estimated 166 million laying hens since 2022. Secretary Rollins said she is working with the Department of Government Efficiency to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary spending to pay for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s financial investment.
“I was sworn into office less than two weeks ago, and I have been laser focused on addressing avian flu and reducing the price of eggs,” Rollins said. “These skyrocketing prices are due in part to ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has devastated American poultry farmers and slashed supply over the last two years. But they are also a result of the Biden administration’s failed policies of inflation, over regulation, and inaction. Fortunately, the era of economic malaise and decision paralysis ended the day that President Trump took the oath of office. In his inaugural address, President Trump directed his cabinet to ‘marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices.’”
Five-pronged plan
The first strategy in Secretary Rollins’ avian flu strategy is to invest up to $500 million in gold-standard biosecurity measures for U.S. poultry producers. To accomplish this, the USDA will expand its Wildlife Biosecurity Assessments to producers across the nation, which will aid in implementing additional safety procedures. Rollins said egg-layer facilities make up 83% of the HPAI cases, so the WBA will prioritize those locations.
“Of the 150 premises that have participated in these assessments, only one of them has been subsequently affected by avian flu,” Rollin said. “USDA will now provide this consulting service at no cost to all commercial egg-laying chicken farms. We will also pay up to 75% of the cost to repair biosecurity vulnerabilities.”
According to Rollins, biosecurity audits will be extended and free audits will continue to be offered for all HPAI-affected facilities.
“Shortcomings for HPAI-affected farms must be addressed to remain eligible for indemnification for future infections within this outbreak,” she said.
The USDA will also deploy 20 epidemiologists to provide advice to producers on how to reduce HPAI risk at their farms.
“These experts will help improve current biosecurity measures to focus on protecting against spread through wild birds in addition to lateral spread,” Rollins explained.
The second phase of the plan is to increase relief to aid farmers and accelerate repopulation. Rollins said USDA will make up to $400 million available to increase rates of compensation to better reflect market values. Poultry producers will continue to be indemnified if their flock must be depopulated to prevent the spread of disease. New programs are being explored to simplify and speed up the approval processes for farms with past outbreaks to resume operations and begin repopulating.
Third, Rollins said she plans to remove unnecessary regulatory burdens on the chicken and egg industry to further innovation and reduce consumer prices. To accomplish this, the USDA is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to safely increase the commercial market for eggs. The USDA is also looking to cut red tape for individual farmers and consumers that harvest and sell eggs.
“In particular, I am committed to working with Congress to protect farmers from costly regulations such as California’s Proposition 12, which is one reason that eggs in California average $9.68 per dozen,” Rollins said. “We also want to make it easier for Americans to raise their own homegrown chickens.”
The fourth tactic is to explore pathways toward vaccines, therapeutics and other strategies for protecting egg laying chickens to reduce instances of depopulation. The USDA plans to invest up to $100 million toward these proposals.
“This does not mean we have authorized the use of the vaccine at this time,” Rollins said. “We have not. Before making a determination, we will solicit feedback from state leaders, veterinarians, governors and the American public. In fact, we will immediately begin holding bi-weekly meetings to provide updates and hear feedback from farmers on the ground and from other stakeholders.”
The USDA will also work with trading partners to limit impacts to export trade markets from potential vaccination. Additionally, USDA will collaborate with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to guarantee the public health and safety if and when a poultry vaccine is available.
The final point of the plan is to consider temporary import and export options to reduce costs on consumers and evaluate international best practice.
“This five-pronged strategy won’t erase the problem overnight, but we are confident that it will restore stability to the egg market over the next three to six months,” Rollins explained. “Importantly, this approach will ensure that we solve this for the next four years and beyond. We will not accept the failures of the past as an excuse for what can and must be achieved from this point forward. We will chart a new course of excellence and speed, diligence and determination, innovation and a can-do spirit. American farmers deserve relief, and American consumers deserve affordable eggs—and we will deliver.”
Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].
(Photo by Andreas Goellner via Pixabay.)
