Judge Upholds Confidentiality of Quarantined California Dairies
A California judge has ruled that the names and locations of dairies quarantined during the state's H5N1 bird flu outbreak will remain confidential, saying the need to protect disease response efforts outweighs calls for public disclosure.
According to reporting by the Fresno Bee, the lawsuit was led by California Rural Legal Assistance, which argued the public should know which dairies were quarantined during the 2024-25 outbreak so researchers, veterinarians and worker advocates could better understand the state's response and help protect dairy workers. But in its ruling, the Sacramento County Superior Court concluded that keeping those locations confidential was essential to maintaining dairy operators' cooperation and encouraging the prompt reporting of sick animals.
Court filings also include a declaration from California's acting state veterinarian, who warned that public disclosure could discourage producers from reporting sick animals. More than 750 California dairies were temporarily quarantined during the outbreak, though according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, all restrictions have been lifted.
For more, read:
Fresno Bee: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/article316648433.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
California Department of Food and Agriculture:
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/HPAI.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Sacramento County Superior Court case docket:
https://services.saccourt.ca.gov/PublicCaseAccess/Civil/SearchByCaseNumber?utm_source=chatgpt.com
