The U.S. response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak has faced significant disruption in the early weeks of the Trump administration, raising concerns among federal officials, state agencies, veterinarians, and public health experts. Since President Donald Trump assumed office on January 20, two key federal agencies responsible for monitoring and managing the outbreak have delayed critical communications, including bird flu reports and scheduled briefings with Congress and state health officials.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) withheld two weekly reports—one on bird flu transmission and another on surveillance—and canceled multiple meetings with state officials addressing the outbreak. Additionally, both the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) refrained from conducting congressional briefings for three weeks, while the USDA did not respond to a state official’s request for information regarding a new program designed to safeguard the nation’s food supply. These delays have heightened concerns among federal health staff about the timely dissemination of crucial information, particularly as the outbreak continues to spread, with increasing cases reported among both humans and livestock.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.