Key facts
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine views were a major factor in shelving an avian flu response plan.
- The Agriculture Department's plan was valued at $1 billion.
- The disease has killed about 200 million birds since 2022.
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was concerned the plan might clash with Kennedy's anti-vaccine views.
- Egg producers favor vaccination, while meat producers worry about export impacts.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine views played a significant role in the shelving of a $1 billion avian flu response plan by the Agriculture Department, according to five individuals with direct knowledge of the matter. The pause in the plan is raising concerns among lawmakers as migratory bird patterns begin for winter.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had introduced the comprehensive five-point plan in February 2025 to combat a record-breaking outbreak of avian influenza. This disease has severely impacted the poultry industry since 2022, leading to the deaths of approximately 200 million birds and contributing to unprecedented egg prices in the previous year.