Poultry farmers near disease zones could receive lost-income payments

What does this do?

This bill would require the federal government to pay poultry farmers for flocks they could not raise because their farm fell inside a government-designated disease control area. The payment would be based on the farmer's average income from their five most recent flocks, multiplied by the number of flocks they were blocked from raising. Any money already received from a state or other source for the same lost flocks would be subtracted, and farmers who already received federal compensation for having birds destroyed at the same farm during the same period would not qualify.

Who does it affect?

This bill applies to poultry farmers who raise chickens, turkeys, or similar birds for meat or eggs. To qualify, their farm must have fallen within a government disease control area during an outbreak, and they must not have already received separate federal compensation for destroyed birds at that facility during the same time.

Why does it matter?

Disease control areas can shut down farms near an outbreak even when those farms have no infected or destroyed birds, leaving farmers without income for that period. This bill creates a federal payment process to address income lost during that forced shutdown.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Payments due within 60 days of request
• No total funding amount specified

Where does it stand?