The nation’s milk supply must be tested for avian influenza under a federal order announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Entities that handle raw milk, such as bulk milk transporters and dairy processors, must collect and share samples with USDA upon request.
The goal is to quickly identify dairy herds affected by H5N1, a strain of avian influenza that has caused outbreaks in poultry and dairy cattle, and prevent transmission between livestock. As of Thursday, 718 dairy herds in 15 states were affected.
“Among many accomplishments, this will give farmers and farmworkers greater confidence in the safety of their animals and their ability to protect themselves, helping to reduce the spread of the virus across the country,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “We will be able to move quickly to control and stop it.” Friday’s press release.
The first tests under the order, first reported by Reuters, are scheduled to begin on December 16. The rollout will begin in six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
In addition to the testing requirements, the order also requires dairy herd owners whose cows test positive for avian influenza to provide information to assist in monitoring.
The USDA previously issued a federal order in April mandating that lactating dairy cows be tested for avian influenza before being transported across state lines, and private testing labs and state veterinarians are not required to conduct those tests. Mandatory reporting of positive cases based on These requirements remain in place in the new order.
The order is a response to renewed urgency to address the rapid spread of avian influenza among livestock in recent months, and scientists believe that avian influenza could eventually become more harmful to human health. We are concerned that this could pose a wide range of risks.
Drinking raw, or unprocessed, milk is becoming increasingly popular, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that it can expose you to avian influenza. Some studies have shown that commercial pasteurization, which uses heat to process milk, inactivates the virus and produces milk that is safe for consumption.
The Food and Drug Administration regulates the sale of raw milk across state lines, but 30 states allow local sales.
In November, California health officials detected avian influenza in multiple batches of raw milk from local dairy farms. On Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health announced a major recall of farm-grown milk and cream on retail store shelves, although no link between the products and human cases of bird flu has been confirmed.
To date, the CDC has confirmed 58 cases of avian influenza in the United States, the majority of whom were exposed to infected cattle or poultry. Arizona on Friday reported two more cases among poultry farm workers. This is the first of its kind in the state.
Symptoms so far have been mild, with many including dizziness, coughing, and sneezing. However, the CDC reported last month that some cases may be asymptomatic, so it recommends that anyone who has had bird flu get tested.
Studies on dairy farms have shown that the virus spreads efficiently among mammals, including from cows to other species such as raccoons and cats. Infected cows shed large amounts of virus from their mammary glands, so scientists believe the virus is likely to spread between livestock through raw milk.
Although there is no evidence yet that humans can be infected with bird flu, scientists are concerned that H5N1 could evolve in that direction and lead to the next human pandemic.
A study published Thursday in the journal Science confirms those concerns. The study found that a single mutation in an avian influenza strain circulating among dairy cows makes it more easily transmitted between humans.
