WASHINGTON — Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and John Thune (R-SD) sent a letter on Jan. 18 to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, asking them to begin taking steps to update trade agreements to allow for the potential usage of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) vaccine.

“It is our understanding that USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is currently in the process of testing new vaccines to address the latest HPAI strain,” the senators wrote. “We are hopeful about the benefits of the vaccines being developed, but we remain concerned that the important work of updating the trade agreements will not keep up with the scientific advancements.”

The senators said that any delay in updating trade agreements has the potential to slow the roll out of a new vaccine.

“We recognize that without updated trade agreements, the use of HPAI vaccination can put our poultry and egg industry at a disadvantage, so now is the time to begin the tedious work of talking with our trading partners to solidify agreements that reflect the new reality,” they said.

In South Dakota alone, HPAI outbreaks have affected over 5.3 million birds and have cost the federal government nearly $1 billion.