By Leah Douglas
(Reuters) – The U.S. issued a federal order on Friday requiring the nation’s milk supply to be tested for bird flu, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters, as authorities try to tackle the rapid spread of the virus among dairy herds.
Bird flu has infected more than 500 dairy herds in the top dairy state of California, and more than 700 nationwide since March, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, raising concerns about the impact on farmers and milk supplies, as well as the risk to human health . of the continued spread.
Nearly 60 people have contracted the virus since April, most of them workers on infected poultry and dairy farms, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms were mild and CDC officials have said the risk to the general public from bird flu is low.
The USDA first announced it would begin national milk testing in October, following a push from industry and veterinary groups for stronger surveillance of the virus, but had not detailed the scope of the program or how it would be implemented.
The testing plan, which includes monthly or weekly sampling from bulk milk tanks and dairy processors, will first be rolled out in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Oregon, Vilsack said.
The last three states have reported no bird flu infections in dairy cattle.
“It gives us the opportunity to potentially get an alert about a possible new virus in areas of a state where the virus is currently prevalent, or new states,” Vilsack said of the tests.
The agency will begin testing on Dec. 16, Vilsack said.
The pace of testing will depend on whether virus is detected during the initial sampling, said Rosemary Sifford, the USDA’s chief veterinarian.
The order requires farms and processors to make raw milk available for sampling, and that farm owners whose animals test positive for the virus notify the agency of animal movements and other information.
The USDA currently only requires testing of lactating dairy cattle moving across state lines, a requirement codified in the only other federal avian flu order issued in April.
Both federal orders will remain in effect indefinitely, Vilsack said, adding that the testing plan was developed in collaboration with industry groups, state officials and veterinarians.
California this week issued a recall for milk and cream products made by raw milk company Raw Farm after bird flu was found in its retail products and bulk milk.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends against consuming raw milk because it may contain pathogens, including bird flu, but says pasteurized dairy products are safe because the pasteurization process kills these pathogens.
According to the California Milk Advisory Board, the state has about 1,100 dairies, meaning nearly half are infected with bird flu.
