Protecting Nebraska Workers From Avian Flu

Jan 29, 2025

A bill has been introduced in Lincoln to protect workers in the agriculture sector from dangerous workplace practices and get ahead of a potential avian flu outbreak by having safeguards in place.

Legislative Bill 573 seeks to protect poultry industry employees from a strain of avian influenza on the rise in the Midwest. It would entitle workers to be paid if an outbreak shuts down their workplace.

Avian flu cases are up on the East Coast, but also in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Illinois. Officials worry Nebraska could be next.

Graham Christensen, president of the advocacy group G.C. Resolve, which works on agriculture and meatpacking industry issues, outlined its goals.

"Some of the things we're calling for would be 12 weeks of severance pay for workers, and at least 180 days of lost revenue," Christensen said.

Recent data from Rural Policy Action show rural workers earn less, are less likely to have benefits like paid leave, and are more likely to be injured on the job. Ag officials across the Midwest said they are working to track avian flu cases and slow its spread.

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Video: Pandemic Risks in Swine - Dr. John Deen

I’m Phil Hord, and I’m excited to kick off my first episode as host on The Swine it Podcast Show. It’s a privilege to begin this journey with you. In this episode, Dr. John Deen, a retired Distinguished Global Professor Emeritus from the University of Minnesota, explains how pandemic threats continue to shape U.S. swine health and production. He discusses vulnerabilities in diagnostics, movement control, and national preparedness while drawing lessons from ASF, avian influenza, and field-level epidemiology. Listen now on all major platforms.

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