State Rep. Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township), top row second from right, presides over a Joint House and Senate Agriculture committee hearing on HPAI in the Senate Appropriations Room on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at the state Capitol in Lansing.
LANSING, Mich., June 12, 2024 — State Rep. Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township) and state Sen. Sue Shink (D-Northfield Township) held a joint committee hearing to hear from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). During the hearing, MDARD Director Dr. Tim Boring gave detailed testimony on the agency’s steady and extensive research and efforts to contain HPAI in Michigan. The virus remains a low public health threat to people, but MDARD’s efforts to protect farmers, livestock and public health are unmatched by any other state.
“Today’s committee hearing on the HPAI was important for our work to protect Michigan agriculture and public health. As Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, I am closely monitoring the situation,” Miller said. “HPAI’s impact on our poultry industry highlights the need for maintaining enhanced biosecurity and health practices. While the current public health risk is low, we must remain vigilant and prepared. Together, we can mitigate HPAI’s impact on both public health and our economy and strengthen the state’s agricultural sector.”
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