NMPF: USDA actions on dairy cattle ‘appropriate’

The National Milk Producers Federation, which represents dairy farmers and co-ops, said on Wednesday that the Agriculture Department’s announcements earlier in the day that starting Monday dairy cattle must be tested for avian influenza before moving across state lines and that cases of avian influenza in livestock must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are “appropriate.”

NMPF said, “Since this virus was first discovered in cows, H5N1 in dairy cattle has been primarily an animal health concern. Today’s announcements and actions underscore that continued concern and focus on the well-being of animals and those who care for them.”

NMPF noted that pasteurization renders the H5N1 virus, like other viruses, “inactive,” and that the milk supply is safe for humans.But NMPF added, “That said, the presence of this virus in dairy herds, as well as dairy farmers’ own commitment to animal and human health, makes USDA’s actions on testing and interstate travel appropriate. Dairy farmers stand ready to take a proactive approach to ensuring that we better understand the spread of the virus, do what we can to limit that spread, and ensure the health of our animals and workers.”

–The Hagstrom Report