Peach Tree Times

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper has expressed his support for USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins' recently announced plan to tackle avian influenza and reduce egg prices. The initiative, described as a "5-point plan," involves an investment of over $1 billion aimed at addressing the nationwide outbreak of avian influenza and alleviating the impact on egg prices.

Harper stated, "I want to thank Secretary Rollins for delivering a comprehensive plan to invest over $1 billion to address the nationwide Avian Influenza outbreak and bring egg prices down for American consumers." He emphasized that while Georgia is recognized as a model state for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) prevention, residents are still affected by the national situation. Harper believes that Rollins' plan is "a strong step in the right direction" toward reducing egg prices across the country.

The H5N1 avian influenza outbreak began on February 8, 2022, affecting more than 166 million birds nationwide according to USDA data. Despite being the leading poultry-producing state in the nation, Georgia has managed to keep its numbers relatively low with only about 210,000 birds impacted. This success is attributed to effective collaboration between the Georgia Department of Agriculture, local poultry producers, and animal health professionals.