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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 27, 2023 12:38 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Robert Leadbeter |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Defend the Flock |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will give the Department of Agriculture the specific authority to require the posting of information on dangerous transmissible diseases at locations where domestic animals and feed are offered for sale to the public. While the department currently has broad authority to issue quarantines and regulate the keeping of domestic animals to exclude or contain a dangerous transmissible disease, there are no provisions in law to provide information to the public on how to manage domestic animals to prevent or mitigate disease. The current historic, nationwide outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affects both commercial and backyard poultry flocks. Pennsylvania’s commercial poultry industry is well-connected and receives regular communications on biosecurity and disease management in a variety of ways from regulators and industry partners. However, homeowners who purchase a few poultry for backyard flocks may not be as well-informed, simply because they are not identified as part of the food supply chain. USDA has readily-available disease control informational resources, such as the Defend the Flock program, that could be conspicuously posted at locations where poultry and poultry feed are offered to the public. Currently, it is a retailer’s choice to provide such information, even if it is encouraged and provided by a regulatory authority. While this legislation is initiated to address the current outbreak of HPAI, the language would apply to any dangerous transmissible disease outbreak of domestic animals. Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB1099