To better track the virus’s spread in dairy cows, the U.S. government ordered Friday that the country’s milk supply be tested for bird flu.
Beginning on December 16, the Agriculture Department mandated that raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors around the country be tested upon request. Six states—California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania—will start testing.
The action, according to officials, is intended to control and eventually eradicate the virus, also known as Type A H5N1, which was initially discovered in dairy cows in the United States in March. Since then, 15 states have confirmed that over 700 cattle are affected.
In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “This will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’s spread nationwide and will give farms and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves.”
According to health professionals, there is still little chance of contracting bird flu. The virus in milk is eliminated by pasteurization, or heat treatment, making it safe to consume.
“National milk testing has been demanded for months by veterinarians, farmers, scientists, and academics,” said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who spearheaded the initiative.
“It’s another positive step,” Poulsen stated. They’re starting to realize that we need to manage it better.
For fear of financial or other consequences, dairy producers and processors in the United States have been hesitant to test milk or animals for the virus. The National Milk Producers Federation’s chief science officer, Jamie Jonker, stated that the sector backs USDA’s efforts to eradicate the virus.
Dairy farmers and anybody handling raw milk meant for pasteurization are required by the federal directive to submit samples of the milk for avian flu testing upon request. In order to trace the disease in cattle, herd owners must give the USDA basic information and submit positive test results.
The action comes after a federal order issued on April 24 that ordered testing of specific dairy cattle prior to their interstate movement and the reporting of any positive test results. According to Poulsen, the virus has persisted in spreading in defiance of that order.
Tests have revealed that raw milk from affected cows contains substantial levels of live virus.
In the United States, at least 58 people have contracted bird flu, primarily farm workers who contracted the illness after coming into close contact with diseased cows—including their milk—or infected birds.
Numerous other creatures, including wild birds, have also been afflicted by bird flu.
Raw milk can contain a variety of pathogens that can cause illness, so federal officials are still cautioning against consuming it. When the avian flu virus was found in raw milk sold in supermarkets, California authorities quarantined a farm and stopped milk distribution. A voluntary recall of raw milk and cream manufactured after November 9 was announced by Raw Farm of Fresno.
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