Federal agencies open funding to help stop avian flu outbreak
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Federal agencies have announced new actions and funding to cut down on the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy cattle herds.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened up funding to help farmers across the country take action, including up to $2,000 per month to ensure staff has appropriate personal protective equipment and provide uniform laundering.
The agency will also reimburse producers for any veterinarian costs with confirmed positive cases of HPAI, commonly referred to as avian flu or bird flu, and offer financial support to farms implementing new “biosecurity” methods.
The USDA will allocate $98 million in funding to cover those costs. The money will be administered through the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
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The Department of Health and Human Services has announced $101 million to test, prevent and treat avian flu cases.
“Although the CDC’s assessment of the risk of avian influenza infection for the general public continues to remain low at this time, these investments reflect the Department’s commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of the American public,” the HHS said in a statement.
The agency says officials and animal health experts have been preparing for a possible avian flu outbreak for at least 20 years.
“Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply, which is why we continue to approach the outbreak with urgency,” the agency stated.
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At this time, $34 million will be used to assess the circulating strains of H5N1 and any increased transmissibility to humans and support the manufacturing, storage and distribution of test kits. Another $29 million will be allotted to monitor people who are exposed to infected animals and conduct contact tracing.
Another $30 million will be split across several different projects, including genomic sequencing on H5N1, analyzing how current vaccines fare against the strain and initiating wastewater monitoring near farms with known infections.
The current HPAI outbreak, which sparked in February 2022, has now affected more than 90 million birds nationwide, making it the worst outbreak of bird flu in American history. While HPAI is almost always fatal in birds, the mortality rate is considered low in cows.
Since late March, the USDA has confirmed bird flu infections in cattle at 42 different farms across the country, including 10 in Michigan. Only Texas (12) has more.
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Last week, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, announced infections at five more facilities, one each in Allegan, Clinton, Gratiot, Ingham and Isabella counties.
All milk harvested from sick animals is not allowed to be sold.
Those who suspect avian flu in their domestic animals are asked to call MDARD immediately at 800.292.3939 during the day or 517.373.0440 after hours.
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