WASHINGTON, DC (607NewsNow) – Congressman Josh Riley wants to help New York’s farmers.

On February 12, the 19th District representative introduced the Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act. It seeks to grant the same financial protection received by farms with confirmed positive cases of bird flu to neighboring farms. Riley says it will help support farmers, lower grocery prices, and help stop the spread of bird flu.

“When a crisis hits, we can’t leave family farmers behind while big corporations drive up your grocery prices and their profits,” said Riley. “I’m proudly leading this bipartisan effort to ensure that when avian flu strikes, every affected farmer gets the support they need to keep their businesses running and keep prices down. I will always stand with the family farmers who feed our communities and drive our local economy.”

Under the current law, poultry farmers within a 10-kilometer radius of a farm with an active outbreak cannot introduce new birds into their flock until the virus is contained, which can take months, and only farms with an active bird flu outbreak are eligible for financial compensation from the USDA.

“The provision of indemnity payments to poultry growers and layers located in control areas adds a much-needed layer of protection for these farmers,” said New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher. “When situations like [bird flu] arise, it’s critical that farmers who are affected not only get compensation pay, but also that they receive the pay on a timely basis. We appreciate Congressman Riley’s efforts to facilitate these measures.”

The bill has support in the House Agriculture Committee.