Senate backs $1M for Minnesota poultry testing
Funds to expand Willmar lab now head to House
21 August 2025
1 minute read
By: The US Senate has approved $1 million in funding to expand testing capacity at the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Diagnostics Lab in Willmar, a key site in the fight against avian influenza, according to a news release from US Senator Amy Klobuchar.
The funding, part of the 2026 agriculture appropriations bill, will be used to purchase additional PCR testing devices for avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases. It will also support upgrades to the lab’s data and results management system, with the goal of delivering faster results and reducing wait times.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, who pushed for the measure, said avian influenza poses a serious risk. “Preventing avian flu is critically important for farmers in Minnesota and for the stability of the food supply in our whole county,” she said.
Senator Tina Smith, who also supported the measure, noted the toll outbreaks take. “I hear from farmers all the time about the financial stress that avian flu outbreaks put on farm families and the economy,” she said.
Minnesota has been hit harder than any other state during the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak, with dozens of commercial flocks affected since 2022.
The appropriations bill must still be passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law before the funding is delivered.
