Avian Flu Vaccination Strategy Act
The Avian Flu Vaccination Strategy Act would require the Secretary of Agriculture, working with the United States Trade Representative (USTR), to develop and finalize a vaccination strategy for poultry specifically to address highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The strategy must be developed within 180 days of enactment and finalized within one year, and it must be designed to be in compliance with all applicable World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The bill does not itself authorize funding or specify how the vaccination program would be implemented, but it establishes a formal process and timeline for creating a national strategy that considers trade implications. In short, the bill aims to create an official, WTO-compliant plan for vaccinating poultry against HPAI, with an emphasis on coordinating with trade policy considerations.
Key Points
- 1Timeline requirements: Develop a poultry vaccination strategy within 180 days; finalize the strategy within 1 year after enactment.
- 2Purpose focus: Strategy is specifically to address highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry.
- 3Trade compliance: The strategy must be designed to comply with all applicable WTO rules, signaling careful attention to international trade implications.
- 4Interagency coordination: Requires consultation with the United States Trade Representative, highlighting the intersection of animal health policy and trade policy.
- 5Scope and limits: The bill sets the planning process and finalization, but it does not specify funding, implementation steps, or operational details for vaccination programs.