What are the steps and intentions of a National Milk Testing Strategy as part of USDA’s efforts to monitor and prevent spread of the H5N1 virus in dairy cattle?

Participants: Rod Bain and Julie Gauthier of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Transcript

The intent and end goal of the recently announced National Milk Testing Strategy designed to expand monitoring, detection, and response efforts to H5N1 in dairy cattle?

According to Julie Gaudier of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, "We've got five stages identified.

These aren't necessarily linear.

States do not have to move through every stage.

There's a lot of flexibility.

Ultimately, at the end of this process, we want to be able to declare the United States free of avian influenza in dairy cattle."

Information webinars are also scheduled by APHIS for Tuesday and Wednesday this week by invitation to state animal health officials and dairy regulators to learn more about the National Plant Silo Monitoring and Sample Procedures.

The new strategy is the latest effort in a detection and prevention approach, including increased biosecurity and research.

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