Avian Influenza Strategy Coming This Week

The Trump Administration will introduce its plan to address avian influenza this week. During an appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the Biden Administration plan never went beyond destroying the affected flocks. “What we need to do is have better ways with biosecurity and medication to make sure that the perimeter doesn’t have to kill the chickens,” said Hassett. “We’re finalizing the ideas about how to do that with the best scientists in government; that’s the kind of thing that should have happened a year ago and if it had, egg prices would be a lot better than they are now.” Hassett continued to criticize the Biden Administration’s strategy for avian influenza. “It’s spread mostly by ducks and geese; so think about it, they’re killing chickens to stop the spread but chickens don’t really fly. Why does it make any sense to have a big perimeter of dead chickens when it’s the ducks and the geese that are spreading it?” Hassett said he has worked with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and academics to evaluate the threat of avian influenza.