WASHINGTON – Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) joined Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (MI-07) to introduce the Avian Influenza Research and Response Act. The bill aims to address the ongoing detection of highly pathogenic avian flu in dairy cattle.

“As a dairyman, I’ve been closely following this situation since the first case of avian influenza was detected in U.S. dairy cattle,” said Congressman Valadao. “While no cases have been detected in California, it’s important that we stay proactive to ensure dairy cattle and the workers who interact with these animals on a daily basis remain healthy. This bill brings avian influenza research to the forefront and better equips the industry to deal with these kinds of diseases. I’m thankful to Rep. Slotkin’s work on this critical issue for dairy farmers across the country.”

“I’ve heard directly from Michigan farmers on the forefront of this outbreak of avian flu about how it’s disrupting their operations and threatening their livelihood, and this legislation is drawn directly from those conversations,” said Congresswoman Slotkin. “Food security is national security, so it’s critical that we take action to protect dairy cattle, ensure the integrity of our milk supply, and support our farmers. Accordingly, this legislation will require the Department of Agriculture to create a biosecurity education and training program for dairy producers and prioritize avian flu research, while also codifying in law compensation for dairy farmers whose milk production has suffered due to avian influenza. As we continue to combat avian flu, I’ll be working closely with state, local, and federal officials to mitigate the effects of its spread.”

The Avian Influenza Research and Response Act would:

• Prioritize highly pathogenic avian influenza research under USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
• Codify in law recent USDA rulemaking that allows for dairy producers to be compensated for loss of milk production due to avian influenza infection.
• Direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Dairy Biosecurity Education and Training program.

Read the full text of the bill here.