The US government on Friday ordered testing of the national milk supply for detect bird flu and thus better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows.
Starting Dec. 16, raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy and processing farms nationwide will be required to be tested upon request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said. Testing will begin in six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
Officials said the move 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 in 15 states have been confirmed to be infected.
“This will give farms and agricultural workers greater confidence in the health of their animals and their ability to protect themselves, and will help us quickly control and stop the spread of the virus nationwide,” the Secretary of State said in a statement. Agriculture, Tom Vilsack.
The risk to people from bird flu remains low, USDA officials said. Pasteurization kills the virus in the milk, so it is safe for consumption.
Veterinarians, farmers, scientists and academics have been calling for milk testing nationwide for months, said Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, who led the efforts.
“It’s another step in the right direction,” Poulsen said. “They are coming to the conclusion that we need better control over this.”
Dairy producers and processors in the United States have been reluctant to test animals or milk for the virus, fearing economic or other repercussions. Jamie Jonker, chief scientific officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, said the guild supports the USDA’s efforts to eliminate the virus.
Under the federal order, dairy producers and those who handle raw milk intended for pasteurization must provide milk samples upon request for diagnostic testing for avian flu. Requires reporting of positive tests to USDA and requires herd owners to provide basic information to allow tracing of the disease in livestock.
The move follows an April 24 federal order that required testing of certain dairy cattle before they could be moved between states and required notification of any positive tests. Despite that order, the virus has continued to spread, Poulsen said.
Tests have shown that raw milk from infected cows contains high loads of live virus.
At least 58 people in the United States have been infected with bird flu, mainly farm workers who became mildly ill after close contact with infected cows, including their milk, or with infected poultry.
Bird flu has also been spreading among wild birds and various other animals.
Federal officials continue to recommend against consuming unpasteurized milk, as it can contain a number of germs that make people sick. In California, officials quarantined a farm and stopped milk distribution after the bird flu virus was detected in raw milk sold in stores. Raw Farm of Fresno issued a voluntary recall of raw milk and cream produced after November 9.
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