The USDA is implementing a mandatory milk testing program in response to the H5N1 bird flu virus spreading through California dairy herds. The program will begin in six states and aims to provide a clearer picture of the virus’s prevalence in the country’s dairy industry. The federal order will help inform the response to the outbreak and protect farmers and farmworkers. A study suggests that a single mutation in the virus could make it more infectious to humans, potentially leading to a pandemic. Critics have questioned the USDA’s response and called for more proactive efforts to eliminate the virus from the cow population.
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Federal milk testing program to track H5N1 flu outbreak in cows
