Fighting for Our Turkey Producers

Turkey producers across the 7th District and the country have been struggling with Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) devastating their flocks. My Republican colleagues and I are fighting for these producers, sending letters to the Department of Agriculture Secretary Rollins highlighting the impacts and requesting her support to put a stop to these outbreaks.

Last year, a study conducted in Minnesota revealed a dramatic increase in aMPV cases among commercial poultry flocks. This outbreak has severely impacted egg-laying flocks, causing egg production to plummet to below 10% of normal levels without any signs of recovery to pre-infection standards. While USDA is working diligently on getting emergency vaccines out for distribution, there is a critical need for indemnity support for affected producers while they wait for distribution of a live vaccine. Unfortunately, exclusions in USDA programming means turkey producers are ineligible for payments.

As the letter states, "As the largest turkey-producing state in the nation, Minnesota's turkey sector plays a vital role in the state's economy by supporting local food systems, creating jobs, and enhancing community well-being. However, the rapid transmission of aMPV poses a serious risk to these contributions and the long-term viability of Minnesota's turkey industry. Assistance from the USDA through indemnity programs is essential for producers to recover until a proven, highly effective, and safe vaccine can be imported, as authorized by the USDA-CVB."

In addition to aMPV, HPAI has hit the Seventh District hard over the last several years. My colleagues and I have sent a letter to Secretary Rollins asking her to take specific action:

• An aggressive, forward-looking strategy for vaccination in affected species, including the acquisition of vaccine stockpiles, field trials of vaccines, the development of more practical methods of vaccine administration, and outreach to trading partners to ensure trade is not significantly impacted.
• An HPAI Strategic Initiative to engage experts within industry, universities, and government to expand knowledge and develop novel methods of prevention, detection, and response.
• Movement controls that apply to all animals that present risks and support for states moving quickly through the first four stages of USDA's National Milk Testing Strategy.

Investing In Rural America

Rural communities across the country are struggling to retain population, much less attract future generations. One way Congress can support them is by eliminating unnecessary regulatory barriers to capital investment, particularly on critical community facilities like hospitals, childcare centers, and senior care centers. My Investing in Rural America Act would do just that by eliminating unnecessary regulatory barriers to capital investment. Specifically, this legislation encourages investment in rural communities by: 

• Restoring and codifying farm credit institutions' eligibility to finance essential rural facilities in partnership with local lenders and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program,
• Placing explicit guardrails around FCI's authorities in financing essential community facilities, including a requirement to offer participation with at least one non-FCI lending institution on any potential project, and
• Requiring a report to Congress on the projects undertaken by FCIs, including the partnerships established between lending institutions for such projects.

I am proud to introduce bills that attract private sector investment in these kinds of facilities, strengthening our rural communities and encouraging future generations to see them as home. 

Whole Milk for Healthy Kids

The Seventh District ranks number one in the state for milk and dairy products, number nine in the whole country. And yet, these producers are missing out on a huge market because, since 2012, schools that participate in the USDA's school meals program have been prohibited from serving whole milk. This is a misguided regulation that has resulted in students failing to meet the recommended daily dairy servings outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

I am a proud cosponsor of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, introduced by my friend and Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, which would permit these schools to serve both flavored and unflavored whole milk and reduced fat milk. This would not only benefit students but it would also grant our dairy producers increased access to the school meals market.

From Our Farms to Our Skies

Expanding opportunities for biofuels into the field of aviation would be incredible progress for our airlines and our farmers. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) could be an excellent alternative fuel source for airplanes that would give our farmers new markets to participate in while also increasing domestic energy production and therefore national security.

I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the Farm to Fly Act to affirm a common definition of SAF for USDA purposes, as widely supported by industry, to enable U.S. crops to most effectively contribute to aviation renewable fuels. It will foster the development of SAF within existing USDA programs, allow for greater collaboration, and ensure USDA’s SAF definitions reflect eligibility for American agricultural crops. 

 This bill has wide support from outside groups and in the Senate and I look forward to it moving forward this Congress.

Thank you for reading!

fischbach.house.gov

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