In what could be a major shake-up in the dairy industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has just mandated that the entire national milk supply be tested for bird flu.
The move comes amid increasing concerns about the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, which has spread to over 720 dairy herds across 15 states since March.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the action "will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide."
Six states will be included in the first round of the program for testing, including California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
Once a state begins testing under the new National Milk Testing Strategy, it will be placed into one of five stages based on the virus prevalence in that state.
• Stage 1: Standing Up Mandatory USDA National Plant Silo Monitoring
USDA will immediately begin nationwide testing of milk silos at dairy processing facilities. This national sample will allow USDA to identify where the disease is present, monitor trends, and help states identify potentially affected herds.
• Stage 2: Determining a State's H5N1 Dairy Cattle Status
Building on the results of silo monitoring, in collaboration with states, USDA will also stand up bulk tank sampling programs that will identify herds in the state that are affected with H5N1.
• Stage 3: Detecting and Responding to the Virus in Affected States
For states with H5N1 detections, USDA will work quickly to identify specific cases and implement rapid response measures, including enhanced biosecurity using existing incentives programs, movement controls and contact tracing.
• Stage 4: Demonstrating Ongoing Absence of H5 in Dairy Cattle in Unaffected States
Once all dairy herds in a given state are considered to be unaffected, USDA will continue regular sampling of farms' bulk tanks to ensure the disease does not re-emerge. Bulk tank sampling frequency will progressively decline as the state demonstrates continual silo negativity (e.g., weekly, monthly, quarterly if continually negative). If a state becomes affected, USDA will re-engage detection and response activities, and the state will return to Stage 3.
• Stage 5: Demonstrating Freedom from H5 in U.S. Dairy Cattle
After all states move through Stage Four, USDA will work with the states to begin periodic sampling and testing to illustrate long-term absence from the national herd.
"This testing strategy is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities nationwide," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. "Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply, and we continue to work closely with USDA 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. We will continue this work with USDA for as long and as far as necessary."
The Federal Order also includes three new requirements.
• First, it requires the sharing of raw milk samples, upon request, from 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.
• Second, the order requires herd owners with positive cattle to provide epidemiological information that enables activities such as contact tracing and disease surveillance.
• Third, it requires that private laboratories and state veterinarians report positive results to USDA that come from tests done on raw milk samples drawn as part of the new strategy.
The first round of silo testing is scheduled to begin the week of Dec. 16, although some states are already conducting testing compatible with the new strategy.
Mammals can be infected with bird flu viruses when they eat infected birds, poultry or other animals, or if they are exposed to environments contaminated with virus. Spread from mammal to mammal is thought to be rare, but possible.
People with close or prolonged, unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals (including livestock), or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other infected animals, are at greater risk of infection and should take precautions. There is no indication of person-to-person spread of H5N1 viruses at this time.
Human illnesses with bird flu viruses have ranged from mild (eye infection, upper respiratory symptoms) to severe illness (such as pneumonia) that have resulted in death in other countries, according to the CDC.
The symptoms of infection in humans include fever, cough, sore throat and muscle aches. Other early symptoms may include abdominal pain, chest pain and diarrhea. The infection may progress quickly to severe respiratory illness (difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, pneumonia) and neurologic changes (altered mental status, seizures).
Federal authorities say they are addressing the situation with urgency and through a whole-of-government approach to mitigate risks to workers and the general public, to ensure the safety of America's food supply and to mitigate risk to livestock, owners and producers.