The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has rolled out a new H5N1 Monitoring Program aimed at eradicating the virus from U.S. dairy herds. While the effort is broadly supported, questions remain about how testing protocols will be implemented and their impact on producers.
Lucas Sjostrom, a member of the government affairs team at Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, believes most dairy producers won’t feel significant disruptions unless their herds test positive for the virus.
“If a herd comes up positive, that scenario might prove the program’s worth by catching the virus sooner,” Sjostrom said. “The USDA’s goal is to completely stamp out H5N1, and we’ve been asked to provide feedback on the best ways to collect samples. What we’ve found is that approaches vary across states.”
Sjostrom highlighted challenges with sampling at different points in the supply chain.
“Testing at the silo level is problematic because milk silos at processing plants turn over so quickly,” he explained. “Testing at the milk truck level involves more samples but could be faster, while farm-level testing seems nearly impossible on a large scale. Ultimately, each state will decide its own approach, and we’ll learn a lot from the first six states participating in the program.”
While the dairy industry supports efforts to combat H5N1, Sjostrom emphasized the need for the program to align its methods with achievable outcomes.
“Everyone—from dairy farmers to the poultry industry—wants this disease eradicated,” he said. “But we need to determine whether total eradication is a realistic goal and what the most effective path is to get there.”
With a new administration taking office, Sjostrom doesn’t anticipate significant changes to the USDA’s surveillance program.
“This initiative is very science-driven,” he noted. “While it’s possible there could be adjustments, the focus on eradicating H5N1 is unlikely to change. If a vaccine becomes available soon, this could even turn into a short-term pilot program.”
Sjostrom also stressed the importance of maintaining export markets, which are critical to U.S. dairy farmers’ profitability.
“Whether a producer ships to a local cheese plant or one exporting to Mexico, everyone’s milk price is tied to global demand,” he said. “If USDA’s program can help preserve export markets, it’s something we should all support.”
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.