( The Hill ) – The nation’s milk supply must be tested for the bird flu virus H5N1 under a new order announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The rules require unpasteurized milk samples from dairy farms, bulk milk transporters or dairy processing facilities to be collected and shared with USDA for testing upon request from the government.
Herd owners with cattle that tested positive for the virus will also be required to provide epidemiological details to help with contact tracing and disease surveillance under the new rules. It also requires private laboratories and state veterinarians to report positive results that come from tests done on raw milk samples drawn as part of the new strategy…