Prevention tactics supported after a recent outbreak caused a record number of deaths in poultry industry.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a $502 million investment into the development of rapid response procedures for future avian flu outbreaks.
The poultry industry is recovering from one of the worst avian flu outbreaks in American history, which killed nearly 58.7 million chickens, turkeys, and other birds in the last year. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) spent $793 million responding to the outbreak, disposing of dead birds, setting up quarantines, and monitoring birds for any potential signs of outbreak spread.
This new funding will be given to APHIS to help them take preventative steps for future outbreaks. The USDA is also conducting tests to create better bird flu vaccines.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Administrator Kevin Shea as he leads the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
- For Secretary Tom Vilsack to seek God’s wisdom as he heads the Department of Agriculture.
- For USDA officials as they seek to prevent future bird flu outbreaks.
Sources: Reuters, Department of Agriculture
