Few dairy farmers seek USDA bird flu funds

Only 18 U.S. farms have accepted federal funds to quash the outbreak of the H5N1 avian flu virus among dairy herds that began three months ago, according to the Agriculture Department. Up to $28,000 is available over three months for farms with outbreaks, and $3,500 is available to other dairy producers to improve their biosecurity practices and test their cows for the virus.

Michigan, one of the states hit hardest by H5N1 in cows, has the largest enrollment for USDA financial assistance, with 11 farms signed up. Three herds in Iowa, two in Colorado, and one in Wyoming also enrolled. New York is the only state with a herd enrolled for financial aid that has not had an outbreak.

There are slightly more than 24,000 U.S. dairy farms, according to the latest Census of Agriculture.

A USDA database says the H5N1 virus is confirmed in 112 herds in 12 states. Before a change in format at the end of last week, the database said 116 herds were affected.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control says almost 700 people have been monitored for bird flu as a result of exposure to infected or potentially infected animals, an increase of 140 in a week. The CDC also reports that at least 51 people who developed flulike symptoms have been tested for bird flu, an increase of six individuals. Three farmworkers have contracted mild cases of bird flu since scientists confirmed on March 25 that the virus had jumped to dairy cattle from birds.

The risk to the general public remains low, the CDC said in an update, noting “All three sporadic cases had direct contact with sick cows.” The CDC said it recorded more than 3.4 million impressions from outreach via social media, digital display, and audio to farmworkers about bird flu risk, preventive actions, symptoms, and what to do if they become ill.

In early May, the USDA said up to $28,000 was available over three months to farms with an infected herd. The money would pay for protective equipment for workers, veterinary costs for testing cows and treating infected herds, heat treatment of discarded milk to kill the virus, and to strengthen biosecurity practices. Ten days later, it said farms with herds that have not tested positive for bird flu were eligible for up to $1,500 to strengthen biosecurity standards and up to $2,000 to cover the cost of testing cows for the disease.

The USDA has said it would issue a disaster-aid regulation to compensate farmers at 90% of the value of milk production lost due to the virus. The USDA also should compensate dairy farmers “at fair market value” for cows that a culled because of bird flu, said Iowa state Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig earlier this month. Dairy cows tend to develop a fever, lose their appetite, and yield markedly less milk when infected with bird flu. They generally recover after a couple of weeks. “Mortality and culling is 2% or less on average,” say USDA scientists.

Iowa reported its 11th case of bird flu among dairy herds on Sunday, in Sioux County, 50 miles northeast of Sioux City in the northwestern corner of the state. Two other cases in Sioux County were reported on Friday.

Four herds — one each in Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Texas — have enrolled in a voluntary USDA program that calls for weekly testing of milk samples drawn from bulk coolers on dairy farms. In exchange, farmers are exempt from a USDA order to test lactating cows for bird flu before shipping them across state lines. Enrollment opened on June 3.

The USDA has allocated $2.1 billion to quelling bird flu since outbreaks began among domestic flocks in February 2022. More than 97 million birds, mostly egg-laying hens and turkeys being raised for human consumption, have died from bird flu and in the extermination of flocks to prevent its spread.