The Human and Health Services Secretary discusses some of the continued and increased efforts in assure a safe milk supply in lieu of an outbreak of a High Path Avian Flu strain found in dairy cattle.

Participants: Rod Bain and HHS Secretary Xavier Bacerra.

Transcript

The risk to the public from this outbreak remains low.

All the scientific knowledge and data we've been able to collect to date supports the continued safety of the milk supply.

That from Human and Health Service Secretary Xavier Becerra in a media call with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and reporters updating efforts to monitor and prevent a form of highly pathogenic avian influenza found in dairy cattle.

He explains USDA and the Food and Drug Administration...

Continue testing for H5N1 in retail milk and dairy supplies.

We are working across the country to do this.

That helps ensure the safety of the commercial pasteurized milk supply.

FDA is also providing an additional $8 million to fund ongoing and expanded response, including validation of milk pasteurization criteria, surveillance at different points of the milk production system, increased lab capacity and training on biosecurity measures, and partnerships with states on milk safety and universities on research.

I'm Rod Bain reporting for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.