Federal Order Feedback: Ag groups respond to USDA’s plan to stop HPAI in dairy herds

Ag groups are responding to a federal order regarding USDA’s plan to stop the spread of High Path Avian Flu in dairy cattle. The move will also help animal health officials learn more about the virus.

The order goes into effect on Monday, and more guidance is expected to come through later this week. It will require all dairy cattle to be tested for Influenza A before interstate travel. If there is a positive case, it must be reported to USDA and tracing must be done. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA will pay for the testing, which must be done at registered facilities.

On the reporting side, labs and state veterinarians must report PCR or genetic sequencing tests to APHIS, and they must also report positive anti-body tests.

Secretary Vilsack says this is all being done to learn more about the virus, but he assures consumers that milk products are safe even after a sample was found with the virus.

“The key here and again, it’s really, really important for people to understand this, that it’s not whether the milk had the virus. It’s the question of whether the virus is live. We know from the testing that’s been done of samples that had that were taken from the affected area, so we knew that there was a pretty significant load of virus tests conducted and the virus didn’t survive the pasteurization.”

The National Milk Producers Federation supports the new order, saying that “Dairy farmers stand ready to take a proactive approach to ensuring that we better understand the spread of the virus, do what we can do to limit that spread, and ensure the health of our animals and workers.”

Related Stories
The University of Missouri takes us along to see how their Center for Regenerative Agriculture is helping farmers implement new, environmentally sustainable practices.
The Texas Farm Bureau introduces us to Colby and Ashley McClendon, one of the organization’s outstanding young farmer and rancher contest finalists expanding their family’s sixth-generation legacy operation through a commitment to regenerative agriculture and education.

Agriculture Shows
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Farm Traveler is for people who want to connect with their food and those who grow it. Thanks to direct-to-consumer businesses, agritourism, and social media, it’s now easier than ever to learn how our food is made and support local farmers. Here on the Farm Traveler, we want to connect you with businesses offering direct-to-consumer products you can try at home, agritourism sites you can visit with your family, and exciting new technologies that are changing how your food is being grown.
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.
Host Ben Bailey hops in the tractor cab, giving farmers 10 minutes to answer as many questions and grab as much cash as they can for their local FFA chapter.