
Update on National Milk Testing Strategy Progress
The USDA’s latest effort to get an idea of how far spread Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is in the nation’s dairy herd is about a month old. That is the second federal order involving milk testing for the H5N1 strain. Alex Turner of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health inspection Service said the department’s effort includes 28 states enrolled since the start of the month, consisting of nearly 65% of the nation’s milk production.
“States that are working through different ways to utilize the testing infrastructure that exists, as well as build some of the testing infrastructure if it doesn't exist within their state. And kind of do the surveillance testing to give us a national idea of where this virus is, and where it isn’t and kind of give us an idea of where we're at.”
Currently, three tranches of states have been announced for the NMTS based on their level of testing. The strategy also involves five stages reflecting a state's testing activity and the presence of H5N1 in their state. This second round of testing includes Washington, as well as Montana, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Vermont.
If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com
More From PNW Ag Network








