USDA Orders Raw Milk Testing for H5N1 Bird Flu Starting December 16

Dec 6, 2024, 07:01 PM

California health officials have extended a voluntary recall of raw dairy products after multiple instances of bird flu were detected in milk samples. A California farm, Raw Farm, was placed under quarantine after bird flu was found in raw milk, leading to the suspension of its products. In response to the outbreak, which began in March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a federal order mandating that the national milk supply be tested for the H5N1 bird flu virus. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that starting December 16, raw, unpasteurized milk samples will be collected nationwide to monitor and address the spread of the virus among dairy herds. The virus has been detected in cattle in 15 states, including California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Oregon—states that account for nearly half of U.S. dairy cows—raising concerns about transmission among livestock.