The US government on Friday ordered testing of the country’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus among dairy cows.
Raw or unpasteurized milk dairy farms and processors across the country must undergo testing upon request beginning Dec. 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. Testing will begin in six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
However, Colorado already ordered licensed dairies last July to submit weekly samples of their milk to the state for testing, although dairies that sell raw milk as part of a “cow share program” are excluded because they are not regulated by the state. .
The Colorado Department of Agriculture said Friday that the state has met the USDA’s criteria for demonstrating a “continued absence” of bird flu in dairy cattle through its current testing plan.
“USDA is supporting Colorado’s existing program with additional weekly testing of bulk milk tanks,” said Olga Robak, spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture.
Officials said the USDA’s national response is aimed at “containing and ultimately eliminating the virus,” known as Type A H5N1, which was first detected in U.S. dairy cows in March.
Since then, more than 700 herds have been confirmed infected in 15 states. That includes more than 60 herds in Colorado, although only one remains in quarantine, according to the state Agriculture Department.
“This will give farms and farm workers greater confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on the path to quickly controlling and stopping the spread of the virus across the country,” Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
The risk to humans from bird flu remains low, health officials said. Pasteurization or heat treatment kills the virus in milk, making it safe to drink.
Veterinarians, farmers, scientists and academics have been calling for nationwide milk testing for months, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who led the effort.
“It’s another step in the right direction,” Poulsen said. “They are coming that we have to deal with it better.”
Dairy farmers and processors in the US are reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus, fearing economic or other consequences. Jamie Jonker, chief science officer for the National Milk Producers Federation, said the industry supports the USDA’s efforts to eliminate the virus.
Under the federal order, dairy farmers and those who process raw milk intended for pasteurization must provide samples of the milk for testing for bird flu upon request. It requires reporting of positive tests to the USDA and requires livestock producers to provide basic information to enable tracking of the disease in livestock.
The move follows one Federal decision of April 24 that mandated testing of certain dairy cattle before they could move between states and required reporting of any positive tests. Despite that order, the virus has continued to spread, Poulsen noted.
Raw milk from infected cows contains large amounts of live virus, tests have shown.
At least 58 people in the US – including 10 in Colorado – have been infected with bird flu, mostly farm workers who became mildly ill after close contact with infected cows, including their milk, or infected poultry.
Poultry farmers in Colorado have killed millions of chickens this year following outbreaks, according to state data.
Bird flu has also spread among wild birds and some other animals.
Federal officials continue to warn against drinking raw milk, which can contain a host of germs that make people sick. In California, officials in quarantine a farm and stopped distributing milk after the bird flu virus was discovered in raw milk sold in stores. Raw Farm of Fresno has initiated a voluntary recall for raw milk and cream produced after November 9.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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