USDA set to test national milk supply so bird flu spread can be tracked

The nation’s milk supply will soon be subject to testing as federal officials work to track the spread of H5N1 bird flu.

The Department of Agriculture order would require that raw milk samples across the country be shared for testing. The department said that the “National Milk Testing Strategy” would increase understanding of the virus’ spread in the U.S., support the implementation of enhanced biosecurity measures to decrease the risk of transmission to other livestock, and inform efforts to protect farmworkers.

The order requires any entity responsible for a dairy farm, bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station or dairy processing facility that sends or holds milk intended for pasteurization to share raw milk samples when they are asked.

It also requires herd owners with cattle that test positive for bird flu to provide epidemiological information that could help with contact tracing to assess the spread of the disease.

The order also requires private labs and state veterinarians to report positive results from tests on raw milk samples drawn as a part of the strategy. Some states are already conducting that testing, but the initial round is slated for December 16. The first states included are California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

“Since the first HPAI detection in livestock, [the department] has collaborated with our federal, state, and industry partners to swiftly and diligently identify affected herds and respond accordingly. 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,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide,” he said.

“Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply, and we continue to work closely with [the department] and all stakeholders on continued testing for H5N1 in retail milk and dairy samples from across the country to ensure the safety of the commercial pasteurized milk supply,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said.

Becerra said the Department of Health and Human Services would continue this work for “as long and as far as necessary.”

The department’s website shows there have been 720 dairy herds infected with the virus across 15 states.

The majority of those cases are in California.

Human cases of bird flu have been associated with exposure to farm animals and raw milk. There are nearly 60 cases confirmed across the nation. Mild illness has been seen in dairy and poultry workers. No cases of bird flu spreading between people have been detected in the U.S., but a study published Thursday in the journal Science found that a single mutation to the bird flu circulating in dairy cows would allow it to spread more easily between people.

The department’s announcement comes after a recall of raw milk was expanded. Public health experts have warned consumers against drinking raw milk or raw milk products due to elevated risks of foodborne illness, including outbreaks of E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria.

Raw milk products are not pasteurized, a heating process that kills bacteria and viruses such as bird flu.

With reporting from The Associated Press