Bird Flu Is Not Slowing Down and Senators Want the USDA to Catch Up

If it feels like highly pathogenic avian influenza has become the background noise of poultry medicine, you are not alone. Since 2022, more than 180 million chickens, turkeys, and other poultry have been depopulated in the United States. Now, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators is urging the USDA to move faster on what many veterinarians see as the next unavoidable step: a science based poultry vaccination strategy.

In a letter sent this week to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, 23 senators from both parties called for renewed urgency as bird flu infections climb during the winter months. The message was clear. Develop a vaccine plan, ground it in sound science, and listen to the people working closest to the problem. That includes veterinarians, animal health experts, and producers who have spent the last three years managing outbreaks with limited tools.

The USDA has said before that it is working on a potential poultry vaccination plan. Back in June, the agency confirmed that development efforts were underway. Since then, details have been scarce. For veterinarians on the front lines, that silence has been frustrating, especially as biosecurity alone continues to be tested by seasonal migration, farm density, and virus persistence. USDA officials maintain that biosecurity remains the most effective defense. According to agency statements, their response is rooted in decades of validated epidemiological practices. Most poultry veterinarians would agree that biosecurity is essential. Many would also argue it is no longer sufficient on its own.

The federal government pledged $100 million in March to support vaccine and therapeutic research for egg laying hens. By June, the USDA had received more than 400 research proposals. Yet months later, no funding decisions or timelines have been announced. That lack of clarity leaves veterinary professionals in a familiar position. They are expected to advise producers while key policy decisions remain unresolved.

Politics are also shaping the conversation. Earlier this year, the Trump administration canceled a $700 million contract with Moderna to develop a human bird flu vaccine. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cut other vaccine related funding and reversed long standing federal vaccine guidance. While human and poultry vaccines are separate issues, the broader stance on vaccination has raised concerns across the animal health community.

Adding another layer of complexity, the poultry industry itself remains divided. Vaccination could reduce losses and improve animal welfare, but it may also complicate exports. Many trading partners restrict imports from countries that vaccinate poultry against avian influenza. The senators acknowledged this tension in their letter, urging the USDA to work closely with international partners and producers to manage trade risks.

For veterinarians, this debate is not abstract. It plays out in barns, processing plants, and client conversations every day. Should producers continue investing heavily in depopulation and downtime strategies, or prepare for a future where vaccination becomes standard? Without a finalized federal plan, practices are left to navigate uncertainty while outbreaks continue. The pressure from lawmakers suggests that inaction may no longer be an option. Whether the USDA responds with a clear vaccine roadmap remains to be seen. What is certain is that veterinarians will be central to whatever comes next, from field trials and surveillance to client education and compliance. Bird flu is no longer a temporary crisis. It is a defining challenge for modern poultry health. The question now is whether federal policy will evolve quickly enough to match that reality.