Washington, D.C. — Amid a national bird flu outbreak, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is introducing a bipartisan bill to protect Georgia’s poultry growers and families buying groceries.
Sen. Ossoff is working to bring Republicans and Democrats together to pass the bipartisan Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act (HPAI ACT) of 2025, bipartisan legislation he helped introduce aimed at expanding support for the poultry industry during avian influenza outbreaks. The bipartisan bill was recently introduced by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).
“Georgia farmers work tirelessly to feed the nation and the world. They need strong protections against avian flu outbreaks,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why I’m working to bring together Republicans and Democrats to support Georgia poultry producers.”
During avian influenza outbreaks, all farmers within the control area of an outbreak — even those without an outbreak themselves — are barred from placing flocks. However, only farmers whose poultry flocks test positive for avian influenza are currently eligible to receive financial support through the USDA.
The bipartisan bill would strengthen USDA’s compensation program to make all farmers in a controlled area eligible for support.
According to UGA’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, broiler chickens are Georgia’s top agricultural commodity.
Last month, Avian Influenza made its way into Georgia’s commercial poultry following positive bird flu cases in Elbert County. In response, more than 100 commercial poultry operations within a 6-mile radius were temporarily placed under quarantine and all poultry exhibitions, shows, swaps, meets and sales in the state were suspended.
Sen. Ossoff continues to champion relief for Georgia’s farmers.
Last week, Sen. Ossoff joined a bipartisan effort calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to strengthen resources for and work with Georgia’s egg producers to combat the ongoing outbreak of bird flu.
This month, Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock urged the Trump Administration to swiftly distribute Federal disaster assistance for Georgia farmers that Congress secured after Hurricane Helene.
In 2023, Sens. Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prioritize increased funding for research on poultry processing, poultry production, and diseases such as avian influenza currently affecting the industry.
Sen. Ossoff also delivered Federal funding to Fort Valley State University and the University of Georgia to create a new poultry science major and create a highly skilled poultry workforce.
Click here to read the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act (HPAI ACT) of 2025.
# # #
