This spring the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza epidemic tore through poultry farms across 15 U.S. states, leading to the death of 48 million birds. The bulk of those were egg-laying hens, though turkey production was affected, too.
On Tuesday, Harvest Public Media reported on steps producers were taking to prepare for the possibility that the disease will return with colder weather, in which it thrives. USDA officials have said it is “highly probable” that it will return, and could spread to other regions.
While the USDA has not been able to determine the exact cause of disease spread – wild migratory birds introduced the virus — farmers are increasing their biosecurity measures in the hope that it doesn’t infect southern broiler chickens.
Bloomberg’s Alan Bjerga wrote Thursday about congressional efforts to offer more taxpayer support to affected producers. Currently, the federal government pays for cleanup and livestock losses through an indemnity program.
Both Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Iowa Rep. Steve King have proposed a crop-insurance-style program in addition to the indemnity program. The current federal crop-insurance program subsidizes 60 percent of farmers’ premiums. The USDA is expected to release a study of a new program’s feasibility this fall.
The problem with an insurance approach, Bjerga writes, is too much risk. Private insurers say it’s almost impossible to write policies covering bird flu losses as long as the risk of another outbreak remains high.
Des Yawn, senior vice president at Palomar Insurance in Atlanta, is studying how to pool bird risk with other hazards, but hasn’t generated interest from underwriters. “If there’s a risk that what happened this year happens every year, there isn’t going to be much interest,” he said.