Florida adds restrictions to dairy cows to prevent spread of bird flu

By Joe Kelley

April 24, 2024 at 3:13 pm EDT

Bird Flu-Food Safety FILE - A line of Holstein dairy cows feed through a fence at a dairy farm in Idaho on March 11, 2009. As of April 11, 2024, a strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, that has killed millions of wild birds in recent years has been found in at least 24 dairy cow herds in eight U.S. states: Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Idaho, Michigan and North Carolina and South Dakota. (AP Photo/Charlie Litchfield, File) (Charlie Litchfield/AP)

By Joe Kelley

April 24, 2024 at 3:13 pm EDT

Florida has imposed restrictions on the import of lactating dairy cattle from states with suspected or confirmed cases of H5N1 avian influenza.

The emergency rule, implemented by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, aims to protect the state’s livestock and citizens.

The federal government is also introducing tougher regulations to prevent the spread of the virus, requiring all dairy cattle to be tested for H1N5 before moving between states.

Despite the recent discovery of the virus in grocery store milk samples, health officials assure that drinking pasteurized milk is still safe.

This outbreak marks the first time H5N1 has been found in cattle in the U.S., with Florida having approximately 48 dairy farms and ranking ninth in beef cattle production.