WASHINGTON – A shortage of eggs is driving up the cost because bird flu is spreading and US Senator Charles Schumer said Wednesday that he is vehemently opposed to a congressional plan to cut millions in funding to fight avian flu.
The senator said bird flu, which has infected egg-laying hens in the US and abroad, is spreading resulting in the cost of eggs skyrocketing.
Schumer said the country is in the middle of an “agricultural crisis” and cannot afford to cut research spending.
“The USDA allocates about $500 million in federal dollars for things like developing vaccinations to guard against bird flu in the first place, bio-security measures to help farmers reduce and combat the spread of the disease,” the senator said. “They teach them how to prevent it from spreading from hen to hen and from flock to flock and helping scientists study exactly how the virus spreads so we are better informed on how to prevent it from spreading.”
Schumer said just as the epidemic is heightening, the Senate and House are planning to cut the funding in the 2015-16 federal budget. “We need the funding before the funding before this egg shortage gets worse and before grocery bills continues to rise for middle class families,” he said.
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May 19, 2024
