Avian flu surge, other issues prompts call for more emergency agriculture funding

Even if you don’t keep farmer’s hours and watch AgDay airing in the early, early morning on rural TV stations, you probably know there are serious issues affecting agriculture in general and food safety in particular.

Top of the list is the fast-spreading avian influenza, which is infecting Minnesota’s meat birds, breeder turkeys, egg layer chickens, and, since October 2023, cattle herds.

Minnesota farmers need to be prepared to face these and future agricultural emergencies, says Rep. Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck), chair of the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee and sponsor of HF1101.

The bill would make a one-time $1.5 million appropriation in fiscal year 2026 from the General Fund to the agricultural emergency account.

“The ag emergency account is critical to our efforts to work with the Board of Animal Health and Department of Health in terms of keeping a vigilant watch on livestock diseases,” Anderson said.

The committee laid over HF1101 for possible inclusion into the committee’s budget bill.

[MORE: View a 2024 report on the agricultural emergency account]

The statute authorizing the emergency account states that it is “for emergency preparedness and response activities for agricultural emergencies affecting producers of livestock, poultry, crops, or other agricultural products.”

The account was established in 2016 with a $1 million appropriation, and an additional $4 million appropriation was made in fiscal year 2022. The current balance is about $1.2 million, Anderson said.