As many of you know, Minnesota is the nation’s largest turkey producer and 26 of our turkey farms have been devastated by H5N2, the avian influenza virus. This crisis isn’t just isolated to one area; it’s now in 14 counties and has the potential to cripple our turkey industry. In light of this, Gov. Mark Dayton issued Emergency Executive Order 15-06 to respond to this crisis.

I’m proud to be the author of HF 2225, a bill providing nearly a million dollars in funding to the Department of Agriculture and the Board of Animal Health so they can respond to this emergency. In an unusual move, the Minnesota House suspended our normal procedural rules and voted unanimously to send my bill to the Senate the day it was introduced. Our quick action on this means that additional steps will be taken to combat the H5N2 virus and prevent the disease from spreading to other farms.

Minnesota has a strong history of responding when a crisis affects our neighbors, and that’s a tradition we’re continuing with my bill at the State Capitol.

 

David Bly

District 20B representative

Northfield