Following the emergence of bovine influenza-H5N1, the USDA introduced restrictions on interstate movement of lactating dairy cows without a negative PCR assay.

In recognition of the extent of the condition and with more than 50 farms confirmed in nine states, the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have announced a package of $200 million to assist dairy farmers.

Support will include: -

• Up to $2,000 per month to provide personal protective equipment with the implicit requirement that farmers will allow their workers to participate in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention farm worker study.
• Up to $1,500 will be available to develop biosecurity plans. 
• A amount of $100 will be offered to producers using in-line milk sampling.
• Up to $2,000 per month will be allocated to producers who heat treat waste milk before disposal.  Initial studies have shown high levels of H5N1 virus in wastewater systems in areas with a high concentration of dairy herds.
• Up to $10,000 will be available to compensate herd operators for the treatment of cattle.  This allocation appears to be questionable based on the fact that there is no practical treatment for bovine influenza-H5N1 and that in any event, affected animals appear to  recover within weeks.
• USDA will compensate for the cost of shipping samples to a National Animal Health Network Laboratory.
• Funding from the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm Related Fish Programs will be available to compensate for lost milk in infected herds.

The Department of Health and Human Services noted, “Although the CDC assessment for the risks of avian influenza infection for the general public continues to remain low at this time, these investments reflect the Department’s commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of American consumers.”

The CDC will expand laboratory capabilities, implement surveillance of workers and conduct genomic sequencing on isolates.  The FDA will continue surveillance of commercial and by definition, pasteurized milk and dairy products at retail to ensure freedom from possible viral contamination.  This provision, however, does not apply to raw milk that may contain viable H5N1 virus since it is not subjected to pasteurization.

USDA will support producers in their planning and implementation of biosecurity and will cooperate with state agencies to limit movement of lactating cattle.

Cooperation between the USDA and HHS recognizes the potential of bovine influenza-H5N1 to become zoonotic.  This will require surveillance of workers and genomic screening of isolates to ascertain potential changes that may predict human infection.

It is somewhat ironic that H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks have occurred in U.S. poultry flocks since the onset of the 2022-2024 epornitic. None of the benefits extended to dairy herd operators were offered to owners of broiler, turkey and layer flocks other than compensation for depopulation and decontamination. Despite the depopulation of close to 90 million commercial birds with the majority in the egg production sector, the Department of Health and Human Services did not become involved in aspects of surveillance to assess the potential for human infection.