PIERRE, S.D. – A bill adding a member to the Animal Industry Board is before Governor Larry Rhoden awaiting his signature.
It adds a poultry producer to the board to be appointed by the governor.
Avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 strain, has had a significant impact on South Dakota’s poultry industry, leading to outbreaks in both commercial and backyard flocks, resulting in high mortality rates and economic losses.
As of November 2024, the outbreak had cost the U.S. approximately $1.4 billion, the majority of which is for indemnity and compensation payments to farmers for flocks that have been culled. To put this in perspective, the U.S. poultry industry has an estimated total economic value of $77 billion.
South Dakota senators have raised concerns about the economic impact of the avian flu outbreaks, noting that the outbreaks have impacted 5.3 million birds in South Dakota and have cost the federal government nearly $1 billion.
Sen. David Wheeler is the bill’s prime sponsor. He said adding the position is especially important amid current trouble in the industry.
“It’s very important to make sure that members of the poultry industry who are involved in the day-to-day activities of how they deal with the bird flu, and the problems it caused, how it’s spreading, incidents that are happening across the state,” Wheeler said. “It’s important to have them on this board so they can talk with the other industries so they can talk with the other industries about how to control the disease throughout the entire ag culture industry.”
He adds the committee already covered poultry issues, but this creates more direct inclusion.
