Sen. Franken’s Statement on Agriculture Secretary Calling For Poultry Insurance Program

Jul 23, 2015

U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack calling today for the creation of an insurance program to help poultry farmers facing avian flu:

"Avian flu was devastating to Minnesota's turkey growers and egg producers, which is why I was pleased to hear that the Department of Agriculture is calling for an insurance program to help protect poultry producers.

"When wild bird migrations resume in the fall, there is a very real possibility that avian flu will return, and we need to make sure that producers are able to manage that risk. That's why together with the Minnesota Congressional delegation, I urged Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to expedite the USDA's study looking at the feasibility of an insurance program for poultry producers to help protect them against catastrophic losses due to diseases-such as avian influenza.

"And you know, right now as a grower you can insure your barn against all kinds of damage, but the birds inside, at risk of avian flu and other disease outbreaks-well, there's nowhere to turn for that. Our poultry industry is so critical to rural communities in Minnesota, and we need to make sure it can continue to thrive."

Source:senate.gov

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.