1 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Odd Lots Podcast. 2 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,040 Speaker 2: I'm Joe Wisenthal and I'm Tracy Alloway. 3 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: Last summer egg price has served. We had the avian flu. 4 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: Egg prices have since come down, and I guess like 5 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: we've sort of forgotten about it. 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: I haven't. I have not forgotten about avian flu. Well, 7 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 2: it looms large in my mind as I continue to 8 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: daydream about becoming a small scale chicken ground. 9 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: Well, what is happening with that things have improved? 10 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 2: I was talking to ornithologist that I'm friendly with, and 11 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 2: he says a lot of the infestations in wild birds 12 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 2: seem to have subsided, and that was kind of the 13 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 2: vector for infection. But it is interesting if you look 14 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 2: at egg prices, egg prices now have basically normalized from 15 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: the record that we saw in sort of I think 16 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 2: it was actually December of last year, so at least 17 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 2: from a mar perspective, it has faded from recent memory. 18 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: Right, And so you know, while we do all these 19 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: episodes about various disruptions and things that happen, and then 20 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: it goes on and it's sort of like, okay, well, 21 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: like can we do it better in the future, right, like, 22 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: did we learn anything from this episode of sort of 23 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: major disruptions? Is there going to be a change in 24 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: the law, Is there going to be a change in logistics? 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 1: Is there going to be a change in supply chains? 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 3: Like? 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 1: Is there a way to avoid a disruption and an 28 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: outbreak the likes of which we saw in a twenty 29 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: twenty two Absolutely? 30 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 2: And I remember we recorded that episode with Glenn Hickman, 31 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 2: the president of Hickman Family Farms, which has a bunch 32 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 2: of chickens. It's a chicken producer and egg producer. And 33 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 2: I remember he was describing the existing system for handling 34 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: Avian flu and we got into some of the way 35 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: it works with him. So he was talking about compensation, 36 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 2: for instance, and from talking to him, it seems like 37 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: there is room for improvement. There's also a large question 38 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 2: over whether or not the US should start just vaccinating 39 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: commercial chicken flocks. 40 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: You know what I didn't know until preparing for this episode. 41 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: I didn't know Delaware was a huge chicken Did you 42 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: know that it's a huge chicken powerhouse state. 43 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 2: No, I had no idea. I've driven through Delaware a 44 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: few times, and I have I have to say, I 45 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: have not noticed a lot of chickens wandering around, but 46 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 2: of course they wouldn't just be wandering around, they would 47 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 2: be in big, sort of barn like structures. 48 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: I don't know what I would have guessed if someone says, 49 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: what state do you think? You know what? I don't know, 50 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: like what I Maybe I would have said, like Arkansas, Yeah, Arkansas, right, 51 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: or maybe Texas or one of the southern states. But apparently, 52 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: like Delaware is like this huge chicken power house. 53 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 2: All right, well, we have to dig into why Delaware 54 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: is a chicken powerhouse and what we can do about 55 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 2: future avian flu outbreaks. 56 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: We do literally have the perfect guest for this episode, 57 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: because we are speaking with Delaware Senator Chris Coons, who 58 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: is a and I didn't know this. He is the 59 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: co chair of the Senate Chicken Caucus, and he is 60 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: the co sponsor of a bill that they're trying to 61 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 1: move forward called the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act, 62 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: which are trying to in some way improve upon the 63 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: existing system for compensating farmers affected by an avian flu outbreak. 64 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: Gotta love the Chicken Caucus. 65 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: Senator Coons, thank you so much for coming on Odlocks. 66 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: What happens now to farmers if they are in an 67 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: area under current law, in an area where avian flu 68 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: is discovered. 69 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 3: Well, the good news and the bad news is that 70 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: as a country, we're very good at identifying hipathogenic avian 71 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 3: influenza outbreaks or HPAI outbreaks. And what happens, frankly, is 72 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: that the farmer whose flock is infected promptly gets a 73 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 3: control order, has to depopulate, has to destroy his entire flock, 74 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 3: and is then compensated by USDA for that. However, under 75 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 3: current policy, all the other poultry farms in a six 76 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 3: mile radius or a ten kilometer radius around that HPAI 77 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 3: case are not allowed to bring new flocks until the 78 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 3: virus is deemed fully contained. So let's say you're a 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 3: poultry farmer and I live two three miles away, and 80 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 3: I'm a poultry farmer, and you tragically have an HPAI infection, 81 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 3: You destroy your whole flock, You get compensated for that, 82 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 3: But now I can't have any more turns in my 83 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 3: chicken house. I can't bring in any more new flocks 84 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 3: and be compensated. That's the current situation. 85 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 2: So I remember when we spoke to Glenn Hickman mid sized, 86 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 2: well fairly large to mid sized poultry farmer. He was 87 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 2: saying that the other thing that isn't covered is if 88 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 2: you need to buy new chickens, for instance, to restock 89 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 2: your flock. Are there other associated costs that poultry farmers 90 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 2: just aren't compensated for it. 91 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 3: Yes, my sense is that growers undergo significant financial struggles, 92 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 3: but there is a real gap between those who have 93 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: a positive HPI case and those who aren't compensated in 94 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 3: the same area. And I am optimistic that, working with 95 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 3: my friend and partner, Senator Wicker and the other fifteen 96 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,600 Speaker 3: members from across the country of our bipartisan Senate Chicken Caucus, 97 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 3: that we're going to be successful in adding additional compensation 98 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 3: through the farm build this year. 99 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 2: Can I say, I am already a fan of the 100 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: Chicken Caucus, and I think a lot of people when 101 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: they hear that name are sort of tickled by it. 102 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: But what does the Chicken Caucus actually do well? 103 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 3: The Chicken Caucus recognizes that chicken is a really important 104 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 3: agricultural product for all of the United States. It's critical 105 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 3: to my home state of Delaware, but across the country 106 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: there's three hundred thousand people who work in the poultry industry. 107 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 3: It generates about forty five billion dollars a year, and 108 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 3: there's major operations in about thirty states. But instead of 109 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,679 Speaker 3: our having a common and cohesive voice in the Senate 110 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 3: when I got here thirteen years ago, there really wasn't that. 111 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 3: And so my dear friend, our late colleague, Senator Johnny 112 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 3: Isaacson of Georgia, Johnny and I launched the Chicken Caucus 113 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 3: in twenty thirteen. Part of this is just good old 114 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 3: home state interests. For me, Delaware has two hundred times 115 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 3: more chickens than people. It generates about seven billion a 116 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 3: year in economic activity for my state. It really defines 117 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 3: agriculture in Delaware. And in fact, this year we're celebrating 118 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 3: the century of the broiler chicken industry in Delaware, which 119 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 3: began with an accident. A missus Cecil Steele ordered a 120 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 3: small number of chickens through a mail order company and 121 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 3: got hundreds of them, and then ended up actually discovering 122 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 3: that because we are so close to New York and 123 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 3: Philadelphia and Baltimore and Washington, that she could really make 124 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 3: a successful business out of raising thousands of chickens a year. 125 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 3: And now there are millions in Delaware and around the country. 126 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 3: I view it as, in many ways the most important 127 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 3: animal protein in our country. And the Chicken Caucus focuses 128 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 3: on the opportunities and challenges for export and domestically of 129 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 3: the American chicken industry. 130 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 2: Joe, did you know that you can still send baby 131 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: chicks through the US mail? 132 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: I did not know that, Can I just say so? 133 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: We were recording this episode a little differently, just full disclosure. 134 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: Were recording the interview first, and we're going to do 135 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: the intro after. And this was going to be the 136 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: story that I was going to tell on the intro, 137 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: because while doing some prep I read about the story 138 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 1: of the woman who meant to order fifty chickens and 139 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: accidentally got five hundred chickens and then started a huge industry. 140 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: And I was going to ask Tracy if this. 141 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 2: So. 142 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: What happened to Delaware last year during the worst of 143 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: the AVM flu outbreak. 144 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 3: Well, we had some significant losses. There were poultry growers 145 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 3: who weren't able to earn the same kind of income 146 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 3: they historically had. We did manage to get quick and 147 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 3: effective control of the outbreak. The University of Delaware's Agriculture 148 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 3: School has dedicated programs and trained extension agents. The del 149 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 3: Marva Chicken Association and our Farm Bureau have worked very 150 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 3: closely together to make sure that everyone in our agricultural 151 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 3: community is well aware of the risks of HPAI and 152 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 3: how to deal with it. 153 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 4: And it can have a real impact. 154 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 3: Both directly in terms of the loss of chickens and 155 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 3: revenue and indirectly in terms of socializing people visiting from 156 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 3: one farm to another. 157 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 4: But we've got it well underhand. 158 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 3: We have a very talented State Sectionctary of Agriculture who 159 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 3: is well grounded in our culture industry, and in the end, 160 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 3: we've come through it, I think stronger than ever. 161 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 2: So walk us through the legislation that you're introducing, what 162 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 2: it actually does, and how it would differ from the 163 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 2: existing form of compensation which you laid out earlier. 164 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: It essentially says, if you undergo the same financial struggles 165 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 3: because of the Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Inspection 166 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 3: Service the APHIS rules in terms of how you deal 167 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 3: with HPAI, you'll get the same compensation if you're within 168 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 3: that six mile radius and your economic activity is harmed 169 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 3: than you would if you actually had a positive outbreak 170 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 3: if you had an infection in your flock. 171 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 4: It also simplifies the. 172 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 3: Way that you calculate the indemnated payments so that growers 173 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 3: have greater security. And I'm very excited about Senator John Boseman, 174 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 3: the most senior Republican on the Agriculture Committee, coming to 175 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 3: visit a in Delaware two fridays from now. He's going 176 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 3: to spend the day visit with some of our producers 177 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 3: and growers and talk to leaders in our egg industry, 178 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 3: and we're going to be talking through exactly what this 179 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 3: last HPAI outbreak meant for growers in Delaware and what 180 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 3: this legislation would do for us and for all the 181 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 3: chicken industry in the country. I am hopeful that with 182 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 3: Senator Boseman's leadership, it will get included in the farm. 183 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 4: Bill later this year. 184 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 2: Does the bill differentiate at all between large and small farmers, 185 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: because I think a lot of people will think maybe 186 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 2: small scale farmers need additional support, but a large company 187 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,839 Speaker 2: like say a Pilgrim's Pride, I mean, they seem to 188 00:10:59,880 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 2: be doing okay just looking at their share price. Tyson 189 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 2: Tyson isn't. But I think there are some other issues there, 190 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 2: but does it differentiate it. 191 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 3: Briefly, No, And let me briefly be clear, the integrated 192 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 3: business model for growers is quite different. So the vast 193 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 3: majority of the farmers in Delaware who are raising chicken 194 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 3: have other jobs and they have one or two or 195 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 3: three chicken houses on their property, and a company like 196 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 3: Purdue or Tysons brings the chicks to the farm, provides 197 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 3: them with feed, with antibiotics, with support and monitoring, and 198 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 3: then whenever they've grown fast enough to then be taken 199 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 3: back to be processed, they come to the farm and 200 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 3: take them away. And so as the poultry grower, as 201 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 3: the chicken farmer, what you really own is the house, 202 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 3: and you provide the supervision, the labor, the active maintenance 203 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 3: of the house. 204 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 4: And you tend the flock. 205 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 3: That's why part of the focus of this bill is 206 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,400 Speaker 3: on the economic harm of not being able to have 207 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 3: more flocks come through your houses. But there are hundreds 208 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 3: of Delawareans who own one, two or three chicken houses 209 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 3: and these are assets that are you know, thirty fifty 210 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 3: thousand dollars, So this is really aimed at them. It 211 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 3: is really aimed at reducing the economic harm suffered by 212 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 3: lots of middle class working families who are chicken farmers 213 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 3: but who often also have other income, but where the 214 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 3: impact to them and their family of being shut down 215 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 3: for months at a time can be significant. 216 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: Tracy, you really could do this. I did not realize 217 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 1: that for a lot of chickens are produced as someone's 218 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: like sort of second or third form of income. 219 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can supplement my Bloomberg salary. Senator, is just 220 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 2: remind me that model that you just described, is that 221 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 2: called contract poultry farming. 222 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 3: Yes, the integrated model where you have large processors like 223 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 3: Tysons or Purdue, and then hundreds and hundreds of farmers 224 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 3: who are on contract with particular processors has worked fairly well. 225 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 4: In del Marbo. 226 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 3: We've got a system where the growers have options, they 227 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 3: can switch between the five big companies in our region 228 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 3: if they want, and the integrators are responsible for the larger, messier, 229 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,959 Speaker 3: more challenging, more capital intensive parts of the process, both 230 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 3: the hatchery, the delivery, the trucking, and the processing of 231 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 3: the chicken. 232 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 4: And the chicken growers really. 233 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 3: Are responsible for what's in their backyard for their chicken house, 234 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 3: how it's operated, and how it's maintained and it's worked 235 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 3: in our region, and it's worked relatively well for a 236 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 3: century now. 237 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 1: So just to be clear in terms of the upgrades 238 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: that your bill would propose, what is the name again, sorry, 239 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: of your new bill. 240 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 4: I think it's literally called the HBAI. 241 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: Oh. 242 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, So it would compensate farmers who didn't who were 243 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: affected because they couldn't introduce new chickens in the area, 244 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,559 Speaker 1: even if they didn't have a positive test. It would 245 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: simplify the payout on the payout, how big is the 246 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: pot of money total is there? Is it caped or 247 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: is it just However, much like if there were a 248 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: big national outbreak, is there a cap on how much 249 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: would be paid out from the USDA budget? 250 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 4: I don't know that. 251 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 3: I don't think so, but I also, frankly, within the 252 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: scope of the USDA budget would expect this would be 253 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 3: a relatively small line it so. 254 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 4: I know. 255 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 2: Traditionally in the US the way we've handled avian flu 256 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 2: outbreaks is basically by trying to isolate the cases, destroy 257 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 2: the affected flock, and stamp it out that way. But 258 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: there's some discussion of maybe moving to a vaccine based model, 259 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 2: and there are other countries that have started to do this, 260 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 2: China being a notable example, is that a viable option 261 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 2: for America. Should we instead of compensating farmers for millions 262 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: of dead chickens, should we perhaps be looking at mass vaccinations. 263 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 3: Well, that is something that the USDA is currently considering. 264 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 3: They are running HPAI vaccine trials, but there are no 265 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: currently approved HPAI vaccines, and we have to be careful 266 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 3: with this and make sure that there is a global 267 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 3: decision about whether or not to move forward with vaccination 268 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 3: as the means of addressing HPAI, because it's a truly 269 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 3: global market, and it's a significant portion of Delaware's chicken 270 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 3: production and of our US chicken production is for the 271 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 3: global market. So the EU, for example, is slated to 272 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 3: start vaccinations for poultry soon, whereas the UK prohibits vaccinations 273 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 3: of poultry. And I think it's that efforts to vaccinate 274 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 3: American flocks don't have the unintended adverse impact of shutting 275 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 3: off key export markets for US around the world. 276 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: So there are trade relationships that we have that stipulate 277 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: certain nature of the chickens that get exported, etc. And 278 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: so depending on what happens with the vaccination, that could 279 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: be in violation theoretically, is that the idea that's right. 280 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 3: So there are countries that I think are inappropriately using 281 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 3: HPAI as an excuse to stop importing American chicken. We 282 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 3: have long been barred from the Chinese market, for example, 283 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 3: which is had been one of our largest, most profitable markets, 284 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 3: actually ironically less for the chicken meat than for the pause. 285 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 3: It's something that often surprises audiences when I tell them that, 286 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 3: in some ways the most profitable part of chicken grown 287 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 3: in Delaware is the export of their pause to the 288 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 3: Chinese market that's been shut off US for a number 289 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:04,479 Speaker 3: of years under the flimsy excuse that HBAI if there 290 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 3: are outbreaks in other parts of the United States justifies 291 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 3: barring exports from Delaware. We've tried to get regionalization understood 292 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 3: and accepted. If there's an HBII outbreak in Washington State, 293 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 3: for example, to use that as an excuse to prevent 294 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 3: del Marva chicken from being exported into a market around 295 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 3: the world, I think is unjustified. But we also have 296 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 3: some countries that have said, if you begin vaccinations, we 297 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 3: will bar your chickens from being exported into our country. 298 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 4: On that icens Tracy. 299 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm a big fan of chicken feed, by the way, 300 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 1: I so am I. 301 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 2: They're supposed to be good for your skin too, lots 302 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 2: of collagen. They're delicious, Senator. Just on the vaccination point, 303 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: I believe there are also medical concerns. So the worry 304 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: is that if you were to vaccinate flocks that you 305 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 2: might still get infections, but they would just be less noticeable. 306 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 2: The chickens wouldn't get sick, and then they would sort of, 307 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 2: I guess, become silent spreaders of the disease to unvaccinated birds. 308 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 4: That's right. 309 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 3: That's a concern with any vaccine is that if it's 310 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 3: not sufficiently efficacious, if it doesn't have the impact of 311 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 3: stomping out the infection, it can simply lead to it 312 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:28,440 Speaker 3: spreading more broadly, not being noticed because the carriers are asymptomatic, 313 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 3: and then the long term of public health consequences can 314 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 3: be significant. So I think it's important that the current 315 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 3: vaccine trials that USDA is undergoing be allowed to be 316 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 3: thorough and complete. It would be a big change in 317 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 3: our policy to deal with HPAI through vaccination, and if 318 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 3: that comes to pass, we want to make sure that 319 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,640 Speaker 3: it's medically sound, that it sound as a matter of 320 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 3: public health, and that it sound as a matter of 321 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 3: its potent impact on our poultry industry. 322 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 1: Forgive me for asking what maybe sort of a politics question, 323 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: but you know, you talk about your work with the 324 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: late Senator Johnny Isaacson. In this case, you're working alongside 325 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 1: the senator from Mississippi, Senator Wicker. 326 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 4: You know, we were. 327 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: Used to as consumers of news hearing about these like 328 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: huge pitched battles in DC that always come down to 329 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:27,840 Speaker 1: the last second in areas like this, chicken farming, something 330 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: like this. Is there more of this activity, bipartisan consensus 331 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: activity than maybe the general public realizes. 332 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 4: Yes, Joe, there is. 333 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,919 Speaker 3: And frankly, that's one of the reasons I was attracted 334 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 3: to forming the Chicken Caucus with Johnny and to continuing 335 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 3: to sustain it and lead it is that it's something 336 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 3: that helps pull together senators from across the country and 337 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 3: from different backgrounds. 338 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 4: And look, that's. 339 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,320 Speaker 3: Part of the history of the Farm bill is that 340 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 3: the Farm Bill has long been broadly bipartisan. The Farm 341 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 3: Bell in twenty eighteen got eight votes. And my hope 342 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 3: is that a chair stabinaw and ranking Member Boseman will 343 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 3: get that strong a support with this legislation this year, 344 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 3: and adding this piece, the HPAI Act to the Farm 345 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 3: Bill would help secure some additional support from around the 346 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:21,120 Speaker 3: country within my own state. I'm really struck at how 347 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 3: organizations that don't necessarily or always support every legislative initiative 348 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 3: I take, like the American Farm Bureau Federation, or Egg 349 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 3: Producers or the Del Marve Chicken Association, they're enthusiastically in support. 350 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 4: Of this legislation. 351 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 3: At the end of the day, each of us as 352 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:42,159 Speaker 3: Senators comes here to advance the interests and concerns of 353 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 3: our constituents, and comes here with some ideological or philosophical bands. 354 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 3: I have enjoyed and benefited from finding core concerns of 355 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 3: my constituents, like the vibrancy of our poultry industry that 356 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 3: really aren't ideological, that really don't have a Republican or 357 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 3: democratic attinge to them, and then finding friends and partners 358 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 3: I can work with on things like this. Roger and I, 359 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,119 Speaker 3: Senator Wicker and I have worked on a range of 360 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 3: different things, from national service to neglected tropical diseases to 361 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 3: the Chicken Caucus, and that has helped us to find 362 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 3: our way towards legislating together on other topics. 363 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 2: Since Joe asked about bipartisan support, let me ask the 364 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 2: devil's advocate question, which is, why do farmers get extra 365 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 2: support from this type of crop or poultry or animal loss. 366 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 2: I mean, other people start businesses, if there's an act 367 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 2: of God of some sort, maybe they have insurance for it, 368 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 2: maybe they don't. They have to take on those costs themselves. 369 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,679 Speaker 2: Why do farmers deserve government support? 370 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 3: Tracy, your question presumes that we don't provide billions and 371 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 3: subsidies for coastlines that frankly, we have to pay out 372 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 3: every time there's a hurricane season, or that we don't 373 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:20,120 Speaker 3: provide billions in disaster relief every time there's a tornado 374 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 3: or a wildfire or a drought. 375 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 4: And the reality is that we do. 376 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 3: Farming is very difficult, It is unpredictable, it is dependent 377 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 3: on the weather, it's dependent on the markets. And as 378 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 3: you well know, we have the most productive agricultural sector 379 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 3: on the planet. And as I have spent time in 380 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 3: the developing world, in the Global South, visiting with smallholder 381 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 3: farmers whose yields are a tenth of what ours are. 382 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 3: I have come to appreciate the broad and the deep 383 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:57,200 Speaker 3: history and the infrastructure here around supporting agriculture, crop insurance 384 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 3: programs for youth like Future Farmers of America, for h 385 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 3: financing access to credit, infrastructure investments and hybrids, and developing 386 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:14,680 Speaker 3: new seeds and new strains. Our support federally for agriculture 387 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 3: is really remarkable, and that's why we have the safest, 388 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 3: most secure, most productive agricultural system in the world. And 389 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 3: it's why we not only have enough to feed every American, 390 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 3: but we send commodity agricultural products from the United States 391 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 3: to feed the hungry and the starving around the world. 392 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:36,360 Speaker 3: Just a few weeks ago, I was with a bipartisan 393 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 3: delegation through the Aspen Institute in Kenya and we visited 394 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:44,880 Speaker 3: both a refugee camp in the far Northwest, a remote 395 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 3: and difficult and harsh place where there's a quarter million 396 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 3: refugees from Sudan being sustained and fed through the World 397 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 3: Food Program. And I got to visit a new factory 398 00:23:55,200 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 3: in Nairobi where they're manufacturing something that really was initially 399 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 3: piloted here in the United States, and factories in Georgia 400 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 3: Andian Rhode island that takes peanuts and milk solids and 401 00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 3: vegetable oil and micro nutrients and makes a nearly miraculous 402 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 3: paste called plumpy nut that can take children. Literally plumpy nut, 403 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 3: and if you want to do a show on plumping nut, 404 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 3: I would be excited. It has the technical term r 405 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 3: UTF or ready to use therapeutic food, an acronym only 406 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 3: a bureaucrat could love. But Johnny was very passionate about 407 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 3: plumpy nut. I first heard about it from him because 408 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 3: Georgia peanut farmers are so supportive of this critical life 409 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 3: saving paste. And I got to visit a pediatric ward 410 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 3: in a clinic at this a refugee camp where tragically, 411 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:50,920 Speaker 3: children on the edge of starvation were being nursed back 412 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 3: to health through medical interventions. 413 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 4: But when plumpy nut is available, and. 414 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 3: It is in that refugee camp available, it can help 415 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 3: revive children and adults who have been severely and acutely malnourished. 416 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 3: So I think it's important for us to recognize that 417 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 3: some of the interventions we're providing, like these payments to 418 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 3: poultry growers, don't just help sustain our poultry economy, don't 419 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 3: just help sustain farmers in the United States, but help 420 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 3: sustain us as the reserve provider of nutrition to a 421 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 3: lot of the world. 422 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: What is the sort of status, how does it get 423 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 1: folded into the Farm Bill? And what is the sort 424 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: of broader industry support that this has. 425 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 3: This particular legislation has tremendous support. I'm really grateful for 426 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 3: the ways in which we have a dozen co sponsors 427 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 3: that are bipartisan. The United Egg Producers, the farm bureaus 428 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 3: in eighteen states, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National 429 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 3: Chicken Council have all supported it, and it would be 430 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,120 Speaker 3: added to the Farm Bill as an amendment if Senators 431 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 3: Stabnaw and Bozeman Dorset and accepted, it would go into 432 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 3: what's called a manager's package as the bill is taken 433 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 3: up on the floor or possibly as it comes through committee. 434 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 3: But look, if you've got broad bipartisan support for a 435 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 3: common sense solution to a problem that could impact poultry 436 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 3: growers in thirty states, that's exactly the sort of thing 437 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 3: that ends up getting done without there being a floor boat, 438 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 3: just by having an added. 439 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 4: As amendment to the bill. 440 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 2: So, Senator I want to ask just one more question, 441 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 2: which is you know last year we had the flu outbreak, 442 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 2: we saw the huge run up in egg prices. They've 443 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 2: since come crashing down. What are you hearing from Delaware 444 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 2: poultry farmers, your constituents, What are their concerns now? 445 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 3: Well, their concerns are making sure that they continue to 446 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 3: have strong market access. 447 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 4: In fact, one of. 448 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 3: The larger egg producers in Delaware just got a grant 449 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 3: I think we announced it a few days ago to 450 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:03,160 Speaker 3: put rooftop solar on their chicken houses. Because energy costs 451 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 3: are a big part of egg production and poultry growing. 452 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 3: One of the real challenges that is a result of 453 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 3: these heat waves we're seeing that I believe are caused 454 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 3: by climate change is that maintaining the temperature in a 455 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,159 Speaker 3: chicken house so that the chickens don't all broil before 456 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 3: they're done growing, and so that eggs can have safely. 457 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 3: That's a key input, and so the cost of maintaining 458 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 3: poultry houses successfully is a big deal. 459 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 4: One of the other things. 460 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 3: That we're trying to do is to make sure that 461 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 3: we continue to have commercial flocks that are viable even 462 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 3: though there are detections of hypathogenic avian influenza. Last year, 463 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 3: we spent nearly a billion dollars on this. But to 464 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,520 Speaker 3: be clear, we are out of the woods. The last 465 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 3: detection in the United States was now back in April, 466 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,639 Speaker 3: and ongoing surveillance testing of the wild bird population, which 467 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:09,399 Speaker 3: is where HBAI comes from, indicates that the virus has 468 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 3: subsided for now. So I do want to say just 469 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 3: how grateful I am and many of us are for 470 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,479 Speaker 3: APHIS and the Department of Agriculture for what they do 471 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:22,960 Speaker 3: to help make sure that culture growers aren't driven out 472 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 3: of business by these outbreaks, that they're identified, that they're 473 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 3: managed properly, they're contained, and then we're able to go 474 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:35,719 Speaker 3: back to enjoying America's most affordable, most ecologically sustainable, highest 475 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 3: quality food protein, which is chicken. 476 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: Senator Koons, thank you so much for joining us. Until 477 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: this had no idea there was a Senate chicken caucus. 478 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna maybe spawn several more follow up episodes, 479 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: so appreciate you coming on odd lots. 480 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 3: I am actually holding a bejeweled large chicken that Johnny 481 00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:59,479 Speaker 3: and I bought together in Nigeria, So if we if 482 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 3: you ever on some visuals for the podcast. 483 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 4: Yes, let me know. 484 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 485 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: Thank you, Tracy. I really enjoyed that conversation. Are you 486 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: gonna do it? Are you gonna start a side hustle 487 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: of growing chickens? 488 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 2: I think it's a few years off, Joe. But I 489 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 2: did love the origin story of Delaware as a chicken powerhouse. 490 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 2: That was amazing. 491 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: Okay, so there's a the story twards Dark. Have you read? 492 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: Do you know the full story? 493 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 4: Then? No? 494 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 2: So did the senator leave something out? 495 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 1: No, he didn't leave anything out. It's just it's just 496 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: an interesting sort of macabre ending to the story. So 497 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: according to uh I read online Cecil long Steal. This 498 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: is according to the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame. So 499 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: she accidentally she started this chicken empire in Delaware in 500 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:08,120 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty three because she ordered fifty chicks and accidentally 501 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: got five hundred, right, and so she became this huge 502 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: chicken magnate in Delaware. And then she grew you know 503 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: that famous threat about like the tomatoes where it's like, uh, yes, 504 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: So she kind of did that because then she. 505 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 2: Got five hundred chickens and they all had my baby chicks, and. 506 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 1: It just multiplied exactly. And then she then after you know, 507 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 1: once she got going a year later and she realized 508 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: that this was taking off. Then she ordered a thousand chicks. 509 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: They became very rich. They sound it sounds good. And 510 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: then her husband, David Wilmer Steel, was actually elected to 511 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: the state Senate. Also good. Then they bought a yacht, okay, 512 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 1: and then in nineteen forty the yacht exploded accidentally. Oh 513 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 1: my gosh, and Cecil and her husband, all the guests 514 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: were fine, but both Cecil and her husband were killed 515 00:30:58,720 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: in it. So anyway, what seemed like a sort of 516 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: like happy fortunate thing, and oh, it's like this like 517 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: accidental order, becoming a chicken magnate, getting rich, getting elected 518 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: to the state Senate by a yacht had an unhappy ending. 519 00:31:13,320 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 2: That's sad on a happier note. So maybe you don't 520 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 2: want to know, because I might die, I might become 521 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 2: really rich and die on all right, noted risk factor. 522 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 2: But I did think it was a really interesting discussion 523 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 2: the way he sort of described the landscape of the 524 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,840 Speaker 2: American poultry industry. And I had heard about that business 525 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,880 Speaker 2: model he described the contract poultry farming before. And I 526 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 2: believe there are some well, there are some tensions between 527 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 2: small scale growers and the larger companies like a Tyson 528 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 2: or a Purdue or whatever. We should dig into that. 529 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, definitely market structure questions, because there are all these 530 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: things about both that particular structure of growing. But then 531 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: there are also questions about industry concentration in the stockyards 532 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 1: and who things like that. So there's plenty more to 533 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: do on this topic. 534 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. In the meantime, you know who has really good 535 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 2: chicken feet? Who Tim Howan? And they're in New York. 536 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:11,239 Speaker 1: Now, oh, let's go, let's go. 537 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 538 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 2: Their original store was in Hong Kong. Yeah, and they've 539 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 2: opened a couple here and they're really good. 540 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 1: I'm a big I love eating a chicken feet. 541 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:19,680 Speaker 4: Okay, let's do. 542 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 2: It chicken feet Excursion. Shall we leave it there? 543 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: Let's leave it there. 544 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 2: This has been another episode of the Oddlots podcast. I'm 545 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 2: Tracy Alloway. You can follow me at Tracy Alloway. 546 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 1: And I'm Joe Wisenthal. You can follow me at the Stalwart. 547 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:36,120 Speaker 1: Follow our guest Senator Chris Coons. He's at Chris Coons. 548 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:39,959 Speaker 1: Follow our producers Carmen Rodriguez at Carmen Arman and Dashill 549 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,640 Speaker 1: Bennett at Dashbot, and check out all of the Bloomberg podcasts. 550 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 1: Under the handle at podcasts and for more odd Lots content, 551 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 1: go to Bloomberg dot com slash odd Lots, where we 552 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: post transcripts, a blog, and a newsletter and to talk 553 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: about all of these topics chat with fellow listeners twenty 554 00:32:56,160 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: four to seven in the odd Lots discord, Discord dot 555 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: gg slash odd Lots really fun place to hang out. 556 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 2: And if you enjoy odd Lots, if you like our 557 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:09,200 Speaker 2: discussions of the poultry market, then please leave us a 558 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 2: positive review on your favorite podcast platform. Thanks for listening.