The Avian Flu Vaccination Strategy Act mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a poultry vaccination strategy against highly pathogenic avian influenza, ensuring compliance with World Trade Organization rules.
Mike Rounds
Senator
SD
The "Avian Flu Vaccination Strategy Act" mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to create a poultry vaccination strategy against highly pathogenic avian influenza, ensuring it aligns with World Trade Organization rules. This strategy must be developed within 180 days and finalized within one year, following consultation with the United States Trade Representative.
New Bill Orders Ag Secretary to Draft Avian Flu Vaccine Strategy for Poultry, Must Align with Trade Rules
Congress is directing the Department of Agriculture to get proactive on bird flu. The Avian Flu Vaccination Strategy Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to map out a plan for vaccinating poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The clock starts ticking upon enactment: a draft strategy is due within 180 days, with a final version required within one year.
This isn't just about animal health; it's got global trade implications baked right in. Section 2 specifically mandates that any vaccination strategy must comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and be developed after consulting the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This means the plan needs to balance protecting US flocks from devastating outbreaks – which can hit farmers hard and affect chicken and egg prices at the store – with ensuring US poultry products remain eligible for export. The bill itself doesn't dictate what the vaccination plan looks like, only that one must be created within these specific trade and time parameters.