For the first time since her confirmation hearing, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins this week testified before both the Senate and House Agriculture Appropriations Committees about President Trump’s proposed budget for USDA.
Rep. Andy Harris
Of particular note in the House hearing on Wednesday, Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Chairman of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, remarked on issues of importance to the poultry industry, including avian influenza, Packers and Stockyards regulations and processing line speeds.
“I appreciate you prioritizing USDA’s response to the avian influenza outbreak which began in 2022,” Harris said in his opening remarks. “This disease has decimated poultry flocks across the country, including broiler flocks in Maryland, and has spread to dairy cattle nationwide. You have directed additional funding towards combating the disease, and I look forward to an update on this evolving situation.”
Harris continued, “As you know, poultry production is important to my district, and I appreciate that you have already made great progress in reducing unnecessary burdens on the poultry industry by finally addressing line speeds at processing facilities. But the Biden Administration also pushed harmful Packers & Stockyards regulations that dictate how poultry and livestock producers raise and market their animals, and I hope those rules will be addressed by the Trump Administration.”
