H.R. 1376: Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act of 2025

This legislation, known as the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act of 2025, aims to amend the Animal Health Protection Act to provide financial compensation to poultry growers and layers whose operations are affected by the establishment of control areas due to health concerns. Below are the key components of the bill:

Definitions

• Control area: An area designated by the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for the purpose of controlling animal diseases.
• Poultry: Domesticated birds bred primarily for producing eggs or meat, including but not limited to chickens, turkeys, ostriches, emus, rheas, cassowaries, waterfowl, and game birds (excluding doves and pigeons).

Compensation for Poultry Growers and Layers

The bill details the compensation process for poultry facility owners located in designated control areas:

• Eligibility: Owners of poultry growing or laying facilities are eligible for compensation if they are prohibited from growing or laying birds due to their location within a control area.
• Compensation amount:
  • Multiplied by the number of flocks the owner was prohibited from operating during the control area’s enforcement period.
• Compensation limit: Total compensation will not exceed the difference between the calculated amount above and any compensation received from other sources, such as state funds.

Determination and Payment of Compensation

• The Secretary of Agriculture will determine the compensation amount, and this determination will not be subject to judicial or federal review beyond the Secretary's office.
• Compensation requests must be processed, and payments should be made within 60 days of the request submission.
• Exceptions apply to those who have already received compensation for destroyed animals under a separate subsection of the Act while within the same control area and time period.

Conclusion

The intended outcome of this bill is to support poultry farmers during times when they are unable to operate due to health-related restrictions imposed to manage disease outbreaks.

Relevant Companies

• TSN (Tyson Foods, Inc.): As a major poultry producer, Tyson could be affected by compensation claims if control areas are established near their farms or facilities.
• PPC (Pilgrim's Pride Corporation): Another significant player in the poultry industry, Pilgrim's Pride may also see financial implications due to the provisions for compensation under this bill.
• BRF (BRF S.A.): A Brazilian multinational in the poultry sector that operates in the U.S. could face similar challenges related to control areas and compensation claims.