Cornyn, Colleagues Urge USDA Secretary Vilsack to Strengthen Interagency Coordination to Respond to Avian Influenza Outbreak

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) led a letter last week with 17 of his bipartisan Senate colleagues to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack in response to the recent outbreak of avian influenza. In the letter, the Senators urge the USDA, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other necessary agencies to continue to provide the public and state agencies with coordinated, up-to-date, and accurate information on the spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as H5N1, particularly around the safety of the U.S. commercial milk and meat supply and the risk to farmworkers’ health:

They wrote: “The spread of the strain to livestock, including goats and cattle, and a farmworker in Texas, underscores the urgency required to confront this outbreak through a collaborative federal response, heightened surveillance, and additional resources to support vaccine research.”

“A successful response to this outbreak demands a commitment to keeping farmers, ranchers, and veterinarians informed of the latest developments while efficiently coordinating mitigation efforts.”

“As the wild bird migration continues this spring, we stand ready to work with you and department staff to contain and stop this outbreak and minimize harm to rural America.”

The full text of this letter is here and below. The letter was led by Senators Cornyn (R-TX) and Klobuchar (D-MN), and it was also signed by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), John Boozman (R-AR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Thune (R-SD), John Fetterman (D-PA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). 

This letter builds on previous efforts by Sens. Cornyn and Kobuchar, who introduced legislation last year to boost resources for programs that help prevent and respond to animal disease outbreaks.

May 1, 2024

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

As you are aware, every state in the nation has been hit with a recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) due to its spread from migratory waterfowl to domestic bird populations and commercial poultry. The spread of the strain to livestock, including goats and cattle, and a farmworker in Texas, underscores the urgency required to confront this outbreak through a collaborative federal response, heightened surveillance, and additional resources to support vaccine research.

The evolving risk this outbreak poses demands a broad, coordinated approach from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, state and local partners, and researchers. Previous outbreaks have benefited from a consortium strategy wherein the USDA brought together the brightest minds in epidemiology and animal health research to lessen the potential economic and societal cost of the spread. We ask that the USDA take a similar approach — including additional research on wild bird deterrents, vaccines, and advanced biosecurity practices — when combating the current outbreak. A successful response to this outbreak demands a commitment to keeping farmers, ranchers, and veterinarians informed of the latest developments while efficiently coordinating mitigation efforts. This includes increasing genomic pathogen surveillance and rapid dissemination of genomic sequence data.

It is critical that the USDA, FDA, CDC, and other agencies as necessary continue to provide the public with coordinated, up-to-date, and accurate information on the spread of HPAI, particularly around the safety of the U.S. commercial milk or meat supply and the risk to human health. As the wild bird migration continues this spring, we stand ready to work with you and department staff to contain and stop this outbreak and minimize harm to rural America.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.