More States Join USDA’s Milk Testing Program to Monitor for Bird Flu

A researcher performs a rapid antigen test on milk from a dairy cow inoculated against bird flu in a containment building at the National Animal Disease Center research facility in Ames, Iowa, on July 29, 2024. USDA Agricultural Research Service via AP, File

Fifteen more states have signed on to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) for detecting H5N1, or bird flu, in the nation’s dairy sector.

The now 28 states, which produce 65 percent of the country’s milk, are working with the USDA to combat the spread of the disease.

Among the newly joining 15 states are Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia.

The USDA said on Wednesday that it’s also researching vaccine development for cattle and poultry in efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Across the country, a strong network of public and private veterinarians, as well as state and local agriculture and health officials, have been working hand-in-hand with USDA to make the National Milk Testing Strategy as robust a weapon as possible in our fight against H5N1, and to ensure farmers have the information and tools they need to protect their businesses, their families, their workers, and ultimately their communities,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

The NMTS, which began in December, requires that unpasteurized milk samples be collected and tested at USDA laboratories “to better inform biosecurity containment measures, as well as to inform state-led efforts to reduce risk to farm workers who may be in contact with animals infected with H5N1.”

The NMTS has five stages: monitoring milk silos at dairy-processing facilities, determining state results, responding to the virus in affected states, reporting the absence of the virus in unaffected states, and “demonstrating freedom from H5 in U.S. Dairy Cattle.”

Currently, 11 states are classified to be at stage two. This means “they have state-level bulk tank sampling programs already underway,” the USDA said.

California is at stage three, which means that it’s engaged in a rapid response to address the detection of bird flu in the state.

Bird flu was first detected in dairy cattle in March last year, prompting an order to test cattle for the virus before interstate travel.

More measures were required after the virus was identified in raw milk.

“USDA has precedent with successful bulk milk testing to eradicate brucellosis from dairy herds,” the federal department said in an October statement on milk testing.

Since the outbreak began in March, 110,000 milk samples from domestic and wild herds have been tested through the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

In the past 30 days since the USDA launched the program, bird flu has been detected only in dairy herds in California and Texas.

The USDA encouraged herd owners to participate in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service producer support program, which offers up to $1,500 for farm biosecurity development.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced it would award more than $300 million to H5N1 response efforts.

“While the risk to humans remains low, we are always preparing for any possible scenario that could arise,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said. “These investments are critical to continuing our disease surveillance, laboratory testing, and monitoring efforts alongside our partners at USDA.”