Raw milk samples nationwide will now be collected and shared with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for bird flu testing under a federal order issued Friday.
The USDA’s order is a significant ramp up in testing to combat an outbreak that has infected more than 50 people and swept through hundreds of dairy herds. Prior to the announcement, the department focused testing efforts on interstate movement of cattle and in states where bird flu had been reported.
The order requires that raw milk samples from dairy farms, bulk milk transporters and dairy processing facilities must be shared upon request with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Herd owners with cattle that test positive for avian influenza will need to share information with health officials that allows for contact tracing and disease surveillance, according to the order. Private laboratories and state veterinarians must also report any positive bird flu test results to the USDA.
The order marks the start of the agency’s National Milk Testing Strategy, a plan to expand testing first at the regional level, and then on individual farms as necessary until herds in an area are determined to be free of the virus. APHIS will begin nationwide testing of milk silos at U.S. dairy processing facilities to help identify potentially affected herds and where the disease is present.
“Since the first HPAI detection in livestock, USDA has collaborated with our federal, state and industry partners to swiftly and diligently identify affected herds and respond accordingly,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “This new milk testing strategy will build on those steps to date and will provide a roadmap for states to protect the health of their dairy herds.”
The first round of testing under the new requirements are scheduled to begin the week of Dec. 16, the USDA said.
The national rule comes after the H5N1 virus was found in retail raw milk samples from Raw Farm of Fresno, California, which expanded a recall of its products on store shelves earlier this week. State officials quarantined the farm and suspended distribution of raw milk, cream, kefir, butter and cheese products produced between Nov. 9 and Nov. 27.
The U.S. has struggled with bird flu outbreaks for years, particularly among poultry and wild birds, but it wasn’t until the first dairy cow became infected in late March that cases exploded among animals and became a threat to humans.
This year 58 people have tested positive for bird flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Dec. 6. The vast majority — 32 — are from California and caught the virus after exposure to infected cattle.
“This testing strategy is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities nationwide,” said Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.