(Bloomberg) -- The US will expand milk testing as part of efforts to curb the spread of bird flu in dairy cows, according to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The push will begin next month, with the screening of samples of milk stored at processing companies. More specific testing will be conducted in the areas where the virus is detected, so it can be traced to the specific farms where animals are infected.
The move follows steps taken by Colorado, which was able to eradicate bird flu in dairy after implementing an aggressive testing system, Vilsack said at the World Food Prize Foundation’s Borlaug Dialogue conference in Des Moines, Iowa.
Bird flu has quickly spread across dairy-producing states, sickening cows that sometimes have to be culled. The problem has become particularly acute in California, which now accounts for about half of all US registered cases since the outbreak began in March. The risk of contamination to the general public is low, and processed milk and meat remain safe for consumption, according to federal health officials.
The first detection of bird flu in pigs, which was disclosed on Wednesday, was caused by the contact with wild birds and is “not related to the dairy situation,” Vilsack said.
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.