Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Applauds Recent USDA Federal Order to Test for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Dairy Herds

BOSTON — Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner Ashley Randle and Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Robbie Goldstein issued the following statements on the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent nationwide order to test all dairy herds for HPAI. This follows Massachusetts’ successful program, which was the first in the nation to identify 100% negative results.

"We welcome the USDA’s latest guidance and directives for a National Milk Testing Strategy,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “Ensuring the safety of our milk supply is crucial to instilling consumer confidence and the continued viability of our dairy farms. In Massachusetts, we’ve been at the forefront of testing our local dairy cattle for HPAI. We were the first state in the nation to test all 95 of our licensed dairy herds and return 100% negative results, demonstrating the stringent safety and biosecurity measures and protocols that our dairy farmers practice. MDAR remains vigilant and looks forward to working with USDA to continue its nation-leading effort to maintain its 100% negative status from HPAI in our dairy farms’ products.”

“USDA’s comprehensive guidance for dairy farms nationwide represents a crucial step in safeguarding public health and maintaining a safe milk supply across the country,” said DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Massachusetts has seen firsthand the value of proactive testing to protect farm workers, instill confidence, and promote health. The Department of Public Health is proud to collaborate with MDAR and dairy farmers to prioritize the health of communities – and animals – in the Commonwealth.  As the first state in the nation to test all its dairy herds, Massachusetts has helped set a standard for proactive public health vigilance.”

The Healey-Driscoll Administration made the decision to test all herds in an effort to protect public health and demonstrate the safety of the food supply at Massachusetts farms, becoming one of the first states in the nation to conduct such a program. The testing was conducted in collaboration between MDAR and DPH. MDAR inspectors visited dairies in August, September, October, and November, and are currently conducting a December round of testing, to collect samples of milk from their bulk tanks. DPH worked with the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard to test the samples at no cost to the farmers. Results from all four completed rounds of testing found no evidence of HPAI in any milk produced by Massachusetts dairy farms.

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