Fifteen more states have signed on to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) for detecting H5N1, or bird flu, in the nation’s dairy sector.
The now 28 states, which produce 65 percent of the country’s milk, are working with the USDA to combat the spread of the disease.
Among the newly joining 15 states are Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia.
The USDA said on Wednesday that it’s also researching vaccine development for cattle and poultry in efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Across the country, a strong network of public and private veterinarians, as well as state and local agriculture and health officials, have been working hand-in-hand with USDA to make the National Milk Testing Strategy as robust a weapon as possible in our fight against H5N1, and to ensure farmers have the information and tools they need to protect their businesses, their families, their workers, and ultimately their communities,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement….