USDA announced on Friday that it will begin the national milk testing program for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that it first announced at the end of October. The department issued a federal order requiring that unpasteurized milk samples be collected nationwide and shared with USDA for HPAI testing.

The order makes three new requirements for providing information to USDA:

1. Raw milk samples must be shared, upon request, from any entity responsible for a dairy farm, bulk milk transporter, bulk milk transfer station, or dairy processing facility that sends or holds milk intended for pasteurization.
2. Herd owners with cattle that test positive must provide epidemiological information that enables activities such as contact tracing and disease surveillance.
3. Private laboratories and state veterinarians must report positive test results from raw milk to USDA.

The final provision maintains the requirement that was enacted in USDA’s federal order from April that required the testing of lactating cows before interstate movement. The new order does not override that mandate.

Some states are already conducting testing that complies with this National Milk Testing Strategy, but USDA said the first round of testing under this new order is scheduled to begin next week.

The department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will work with each state to determine an acceptable plan for testing. Once a state begins testing, they will be placed into one of five stages based on the virus’ prevalence in the state:

• Stage 1: Testing will be done of milk silos at dairy processing facilities.
• Stage 2: Based on the results of the silo monitoring, bulk tank sampling will be implemented to identify infected herds.
• Stage 3: For states with positive tests, response measures like enhanced biosecurity, movement controls, and contact tracing will be implemented.
• Stage 4: Once all herds in a state are considered unaffected, regular bulk tank sampling will continue at reduced frequencies as the state continues to test negative. If samples are positive, the state will move back to Stage 3.
• Stage 5: After all states complete Stage 4, APHIS will work with states to periodically sample and test milk to confirm long-term eradication.

On Friday, the department announced that California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania will be the first states brought into the program. The progress of these and future states in the program will be shared on this page. Most states will begin in Stage 1, but if testing is already in place, they may begin at other stages.