USDA orders testing of milk for bird flu [View all]
Source: NBC News
Dec. 6, 2024, 1:01 PM EST
The national milk supply must be tested for bird flu under a new federal order announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Entities handling raw milk, such as bulk milk transporters or dairy processors, must collect and share samples with the USDA upon request.
The goal is to quickly identify which dairy herds are affected by H5N1 — the strain of bird flu that's causing outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows — and prevent transmission among livestock. As of Thursday, 718 dairy herds have been affected.
“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,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Friday in a press release.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/usda-orders-testing-milk-bird-flu-rcna183212
Link to USDA PRESS RELEASE - USDA Announces New Federal Order, Begins National Milk Testing Strategy to Address H5N1 in Dairy Herds
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