Governor Tim Walz this afternoon (Fri) signed a bill providing an additional one million dollars for avian flu response, which the legislature passed nearly unanimously on Thursday. Republican Senator Torrey Westrom from Elbow Lake pointed to the number of infections in Minnesota as of that morning:
“21 farms across our state and over a million birds. In less than a week, it’s doubled.”
Saint Paul Democrat Erin Murphy said, “We need move as swiftly as the infection to make sure that we’re supporting our farmers.”
The governor says the legislation will help bolster the state’s emergency response to avian influenza and provide relief for the essential poultry industry.