USDA Orders Raw Milk Samples to Be Tested for Bird Flu

The USDA said bird flu was first identified in dairy cattle in March 2024, prompting an order to test cattle for the virus before interstate travel.

Bottles of raw milk are displayed for sale at a store in Temecula, Calif., on May 8, 2024. JoNel Aleccia/AP, file

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has ordered that dairy farmers work with the federal agency to test raw milk for the bird flu (H5N1).

“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,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement on Friday.