Today, Congressman Josh Riley (NY-19) joined a bipartisan group of House Agriculture Committee members in introducing the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act (HPAIA) to support family farmers, bring down grocery prices and stop the spread of avian flu.
The bipartisan push comes as counties across Upstate New York continue to battle the spread of avian flu, with several confirmed cases in just the last week.
When avian flu hits a farm, nearby poultry farmers within a 10-kilometer radius of a case cannot introduce new birds into their existing flock until the virus is contained, a process that can take many months. Under current law, only farms with confirmed positive cases of Avian flu are eligible for USDA financial compensation, leaving neighboring farms to fend for themselves. This bill is a long overdue fix that ensures that all affected farms can receive compensation they deserve so they can keep their doors open and resume production.
“When a crisis hits, we can’t leave family farmers behind while big corporations drive up your grocery prices and their profits,” said Congressman Josh Riley. “I’m proudly leading this bipartisan effort to ensure that when avian flu strikes, every affected farmer gets the support they need to keep their businesses running and keep prices down. I will always stand with the family farmers who feed our communities and drive our local economy.”
“The provision of indemnity payments to poultry growers and layers located in control areas adds a much-needed layer of protection for these farmers. When situations like HPAI arise, it’s critical that farmers who are affected not only get compensation pay, but also that they receive the pay on a timely basis. We appreciate Congressman Riley’s efforts to facilitate these measures,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher.
