Sponsors (17)
The bill provides timely federal financial relief to poultry owners shut down by APHIS control-area orders, but increases taxpayer costs and may leave some owners undercompensated when they already received partial or prior payments.
Poultry facility owners (including small-business owners and farmers) receive federal compensation replacing revenue lost when APHIS prohibits growing or laying in a declared control area.
Poultry facility owners and rural communities receive payments within 60 days, helping operators meet near-term expenses after production is halted.
Small-business owners are protected from receiving duplicate federal assistance because payments are offset by other assistance to avoid double federal payment for the same losses.
Poultry facility owners who already received some state or other compensation may have their federal payments reduced, leaving them with residual uncompensated losses.
Poultry facility owners who were already compensated under subsection (d) are ineligible for these payments, which could create coverage gaps if prior payments did not fully cover losses.
Taxpayers face increased federal outlays to provide these compensatory payments when APHIS declares control areas.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Roger F. Wicker · Last progress February 13, 2025
Provides federal compensation to owners of poultry growing or laying facilities located inside an APHIS-designated control area when those owners are prohibited from growing or laying flocks during the control period. Payments equal the facility’s average income from its five most recent flocks multiplied by the number of flocks lost, reduced by any prior compensation from a State or other source, and must be paid within 60 days after a claim is filed. Owners who already received compensation under the existing subsection for the same facility, control area, and period are not eligible for duplicate payments. The law adds this compensation requirement to existing Animal Health Protection Act provisions but does not appropriate new funds in the text provided.