The US Department of Agriculture has ordered mandatory testing for raw milk (i.e. unpasteurized). Samples will be collected nationwide and shared with the regulator in order to bolster H5N1 surveillance of the milk supply and dairy herds.
The federal order makes three new requirements:
- Sharing of raw milk samples, on request.
- Providing epidemiological information to enable contact-tracing for herd owners with infected cattle.
- Requiring laboratories and veterinarians to report positive results to USDA that come from tests done on raw milk samples drawn as part of the order.
Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said:
“Since the first HPAI detection in livestock, USDA has collaborated with our federal, state and industry partners to swiftly and diligently identify affected herds and respond accordingly.
This new milk testing strategy will build on those steps to date and will provide a roadmap for states to protect the health of their dairy herds.
“Among many outcomes, this will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and ability to protect themselves, and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide.
“USDA is grateful to our partners who have provided input to make this strategy effective and actionable, and we look forward to continued collaboration in seeing this through.”
The initiative comes after the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) advised against the consumption of raw milk produced and packaged by Raw Farm LLC. The Fresno County-based company has seen all its products recalled from retail after the H5N1 virus was detected in multiple detections in the company’s milk products. The firm initiated a voluntary recall on November 24, which was widened on November 27.
“While this voluntary recall only applies to raw whole milk and cream, due to multiple bird flu detections in the company’s operation the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) urges consumers to avoid consuming any Raw Farm products for human consumption including raw milk, cream, cheese, and kefir, as well as raw milk pet food topper and pet food kefir marketed to pet owners,” the body said in a statement.
“In addition to the state-wide voluntary recall, CDFA has placed the farm under quarantine, suspending any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter and cheese products produced on or after November 27.”
No associated illnesses have been tracked back to the contaminated products, the CDPH added.