WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) demanded answers from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. over reports that the Trump Administration is considering a plan to allow avian flu to spread unchecked through poultry farms. Senator Gallego warned that this reckless plan would threaten Arizona’s farming economy, significantly raise egg prices, and increase the risk of crossover to humans.
“Allowing the virus to continue spreading poses an unacceptable risk, not only to livestock and farmers but also to public health. Scientific leaders fear that uninhibited spread would not only increase casualties in birds, but it also increases the risk of crossover to humans and new pandemics,” Senator Gallego wrote.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently ended its emergency response to the avian flu, Arizona’s agriculture industry is reeling from major losses. Last month, Hickman Family Farms, one of the largest egg producers in the country, announced it lost nearly its entire chicken population in Arizona due to avian flu. Nationwide, avian flu has already killed nearly 175 million birds since 2022.
“Meanwhile, farmers are suffering significant losses, and consumers are facing rising egg prices. U.S. taxpayers have already spent $1.138 billion for the loss of culled eggs and birds and $326 million for measures to prevent the virus’s spread,” Senator Gallego continued. “Continuing the spread of the outbreak will only deepen the financial losses for farmers and continue to drive up egg prices for consumers.”
“We must prevent the spread of avian flu to safeguard the human health and the farming industry and keep grocery prices affordable. The health of both animals and the public is at stake, and we cannot afford to let this spread any longer,” Gallego concluded.
To protect Arizona’s agriculture and consumers, Senator Gallego requested answers to the following questions:
- Will you state unequivocally that your agencies are not considering this natural spread approach to avian influenza?
- What, if any, research or science have you analyzed that shows that natural spread is more effective at controlling avian influenza than other methods?
- What new resources, if any, will you provide to poultry farms whose flocks are decimated due to natural spread?
Read the full letter HERE.
7/8/25