Xavier Becerra United States Secretary of Health and Human Services | Official Website
On March 25, 2024, following the first detection of H5N1 in dairy cattle in the Texas panhandle region, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) began working to understand the origin of the emergence and its potential impact on bovines and humans. USDA experts took swift action to trace animal movements, assess disease prevalence in herds, and initiate testing activities to confirm the safety of meat and milk supplies.
On April 1, 2024, Texas reported the first and only confirmed human H5N1 infection associated with this outbreak after confirmation by CDC. On April 24, USDA issued a Federal Order that took effect on April 29 to limit the movement of lactating dairy cattle and collect H5N1 test results to better understand the nature of the outbreak.
Since then, federal response has leveraged scientific data, field epidemiology, and risk assessments to mitigate risks to workers and the general public. This ensures America’s food supply safety while mitigating risk to livestock owners and producers. Today, USDA is taking additional steps to reduce H5N1's impact on affected premises and producers. Simultaneously, HHS is announcing new actions through CDC and FDA to increase testing capacity, genomic sequencing, laboratory screening, among other interventions.
USDA announced assistance for producers with H5N1 affected premises to improve on-site biosecurity in order to reduce spread. It also plans financial tools for lost milk production in herds affected by H5N1. Building on Federal Order addressing pre-movement testing will further equip producers with tools they can use to keep their affected herds healthy.
Additionally, USDA will make $98 million in existing funds available for these initiatives. If needed, USDA has authority with Congressional notification to make additional funds available.
The U.S. government is addressing this situation urgently through a whole-of-government approach. USDA is working closely with federal partners at FDA, which has primary responsibility for the safety of milk and dairy products, by assisting with lab testing at USDA labs. It is also working closely with CDC, which has primary responsibility for public health.
Today, HHS announced new funding investments through CDC and FDA totaling $101 million to mitigate the risk of H5N1 and continue its work to test, prevent, and treat H5N1. These investments reflect the Department’s commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of the American public.
For more information about USDA’s response to H5N1 in dairy cattle, visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock. For more about CDC’s response to H5N1, visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/mammals.htm. To learn more about FDA’s response to H5N1, visit https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/updates-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai.
