Lawmakers Urge USDA to Restore Full Avian Flu Surveillance

As U.S. poultry producers face a sharp resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza, a bipartisan coalition in Congress is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to immediately restore full surveillance, reporting, and coordination efforts.

The push comes amid more than 90 new detections in the last 30 days and over 1.6 million birds infected, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. 

The letter, is led by Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Sarah McBride (D-Del.) and warns that weakened federal monitoring, coupled with the recent government shutdown and staffing reductions, has left farmers without the timely information they need as the virus rapidly spreads across both backyard and commercial operations.

Throughout the country, poultry growers are facing yet another year of economic and logistical repercussions caused by HPAI-a threat that began in 2022 and has since become almost annual. This is especially true for main production areas like California’s San Joaquin Valley, where the poultry and egg industries are responsible for over 120,000 jobs and contribute almost $121 billion to the nation’s economy.

“We write to express our deep concern about the recent rise in avian influenza — a now seasonal epidemic impacting poultry farmers and driving up grocery prices across the United States … And as we approach the holiday season, it is concerning that without avian influenza surveillance at full capacity, families across America may eat without traditionally American-produced centerpieces on their holiday dinner tables,” the members wrote.

Costa, who serves as Ranking Member of the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, emphasized the strain on his home state.

“The San Joaquin Valley is the heart of California agriculture, and our poultry farmers are on the front lines of the avian flu crisis. When they face challenges, we all pay the price — from farms to grocery stores,” Costa said. “Restoring full avian flu surveillance is essential to protecting our food supply and ensuring that the farmers who feed America get the coordinated support they deserve.”

One of the most urgent concerns raised by lawmakers is the apparent reduction in real-time communication between federal animal health officials and the poultry sector. According to the letter, the USDA-coordinated National Animal Health Laboratory Network has suspended its weekly calls, disrupting information sharing that producers depend on during peak migration and outbreak seasons.

They also point to furloughs and Reduction in Force actions across the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These staffing cuts, the lawmakers warn, are “hampering the federal government’s ability to monitor outbreaks and alert farmers in real time.”

With wild bird migration in full swing, the Members stressed that surveillance gaps leave farmers vulnerable, particularly as more than 514,000 turkeys were impacted in October alone.

In total, dozens of lawmakers signed the November 24, 2025 letter addressed to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. The coalition includes senior agriculture leaders such as Rep. Angie Craig, Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, and representatives from major poultry states.

“We respectfully call on the Department to reestablish avian influenza surveillance and research programs to their prior level of excellence — and strengthen them further — to protect all poultry, dairy, and livestock farmers from further impact. Without swift action to reduce viral loads, the economic toll — from farm losses to rising grocery costs — will continue to grow.”

If the USDA restores full surveillance operations, producers could see improvements in outbreak tracking, early detection, and coordinated response efforts — tools that have been critical in previous HPAI waves. For now, producers are encouraged to double down on on-farm biosecurity, limit visitor access, and monitor flock behavior closely. But as lawmakers emphasize, farmers cannot face rising viral threats without a fully functioning federal partner.