The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will require dairy cattle herds moving across state lines to be tested for bird flu starting on Monday, April 29. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement on Wednesday, April 24, a day after it was reported that bird flu remnants were found in grocery store milk.
However, federal officials maintain that pasteurized milk is still safe to drink in the United States. The USDA said pasteurization renders the virus unable to infect humans but that more research is underway.
The new rule is an effort to stop the spread of the virus in dairy herds. All laboratories and states must start reporting positive results, any positive tests will prohibit cows from traveling for 30 days and until they test negative for the virus. The USDA will reimburse herd owners for the cost of testing.
Another stipulation includes making herd owners disclose the movement of animals to help with epidemiological investigations. The USDA has said that cow-to-cow transmission is a factor in the spread of the bird flu.
Herds in eight states have registered positive for bird flu in the last month and one person tested positive for the virus in Texas. The person worked on a dairy farm and has since recovered. Texas state officials speculate that wild birds introduced the virus to cattle.
The additional testing requirements indicates that the virus in U.S. cows may be more widespread than previously thought. However, the Biden administration said the efforts are to contain the transmission of the virus and to reduce the threat to livestock.
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