The nationwide milk provide have to be examined for fowl flu below a brand new federal order introduced Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Entities dealing with uncooked milk, reminiscent of bulk milk transporters or dairy processors, should acquire and share samples with the USDA upon request.
The objective is to rapidly establish which dairy herds are affected by H5N1 — the pressure of fowl flu that is inflicting outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows — and forestall transmission amongst livestock. As of Thursday, 718 dairy herds have been affected.
“Among many outcomes, this may give farmers and farmworkers higher confidence within the security of their animals and talent to guard themselves, and it’ll put us on a path to rapidly controlling and stopping the virus’ unfold nationwide,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Friday in a press release.
The preliminary spherical of testing below the brand new order, which was first reported by Reuters, is about to start on Dec. 16.
This is a creating story. Please verify again for updates.
