Sen. Ernst takes initiative in the fight against bird flu

Source: KTIV

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst was back in Northwest, Iowa on Saturday, continuing her discussion on the bird flu outbreak.

"We have a lot of families that are hurting right now because of this epidemic," says Ernst.

The Avian Flu has already cost poultry producers millions of birds.

Although the outbreak is slowing in the area, Senator Ernst tells Lyon County residents more problems may be on the horizon.

"There could be a reassurance in the fall, as we start to see some of those migratory birds heading back and carrying the same disease," says Ernst.

That's why they say a plan needs to be put in place now to protect Iowa families and flocks, later on.

"My hope is that we can bring federal leaders together, state leaders together and local leaders together with our producers and those that have been affected, and really talk through what went well and what we all can do to improve this situation," says Ernst.

She's calling it an "after action report," something emergency responders do when handling disasters, and she says this is a disaster.

"We want to prevent the disease from occurring again, but if it should happen, we need to know how to respond," says Ernst.

If there isn't a plan?

"We could see this again," says Ernst. "And we don't want this to happen ever again."

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