U.S. Secretary of Agriculture visits Western Ohio farms

By Brianna Smith and Joel Penhorwood

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins joined Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge on Monday, April 28, for a series of farm visits in western Ohio. The visit highlighted two key issues facing the agricultural sector: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and innovative tools for nutrient management.

The first stop included a tour of Weaver Eggs in Versailles and a roundtable discussion with local egg producers impacted by the ongoing HPAI outbreak. In 2025 alone, nearly 15 million commercial birds have been affected in the state. Mercer and Darke counties have been hit especially hard, with 47 and 22 flocks impacted, respectively.

Rollins touched on the five-pronged strategy released in February by the USDA to battle HPAI and support poultry producers. The plan includes strengthening biosecurity measures, providing financial relief to farmers, expanding supply, investments in avian flu vaccine research and development, and adjusting imports of eggs from Turkey and South Korea.… Continue reading