Migration Season and Bird Flu Concerns
From the Western Ag Network, I’m Bob Larson. Fall migration is underway and USDA is urging livestock and poultry producers to stay vigilant against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
USDA Undersecretary Dudley Hoskins says the seasonal movement of wild birds always raises concerns …
HOSKINS … “And obviously we're at the beginning of the fall migratory season. And this time of year, we always anticipate an uptick just as migratory birds are moving through the environment. They're a natural vector to transmit and spread High-Path throughout the country and every single flyway in the United States.”
In addition to monitoring poultry, new dairy cattle infections have been confirmed here in Washington, in Kansas, and in Texas over the last month.
Hoskins says the milk testing program has become an effective tool in containing those cases …
HOSKINS … “What we have seen, and we have a national milk testing strategy in place that's been very effective for us in terms of almost like an early warning system. So far, we have 46 different states that are participating in the national milk testing strategy, and about 39 of those are currently in an uninfected status. That system has really been a critical tool for us at USDA APHIS.”
Hoskins says that testing system helps reassure consumers about the safety of dairy products.
