BOSTON — No trace of a highly-pathogenic bird flu has been found in dairy herds in Massachusetts, state officials said Monday.
The state Department of Agricultural Resources, in partnership with state public health officials, has completed testing of all licensed dairy farms in the state, with no cases of the deadly Avian Influenza virus found, officials said in a statement.
Massachusetts is the only state in the nation to test all of its dairy herds from 95 farms with 100 percent negative results, officials said.
“Massachusetts dairy farmers follow stringent safety protocols and take great pride in producing the highest-quality products,” Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle said in a statement. “That hard work protects all of us, and these test results demonstrate how supporting local agriculture and sourcing food from Massachusetts farms can keep our food supply strong and resilient.”
State officials decided to test all herds in an effort to protect public health and demonstrate the safety of the food supply at Massachusetts farms, officials said.
Avian Influenza was first detected back in March in dairy cows in Texas. Since then, it has spread to herds in at least 14 states.
While not all animals have symptoms, those that do become lethargic and show reduced milk production for a few weeks.
There have also been several cases of dairy farm workers who have contracted the virus and experienced flu-like symptoms from coming into contact with unpasteurized milk, officials said. Pasteurization kills the virus and makes it safe for humans to drink the milk.
State agricultural inspectors visited dairies in August to collect samples of milk from their bulk tanks. The Department of Public Health worked with the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard to test the samples at no cost to the farmers.
“The safety of our food supply goes hand-in-hand with the health and safety of residents of the Commonwealth,” Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein said in a statement. “We must remain vigilant and continue monitoring farms across the state to protect animal and public health. This is a great example of how collaboration across government and with communities can result in better health and maintain the integrity of the local dairy industry.”
“Massachusetts dairy farmers are committed to providing Massachusetts consumers with a fresh local milk supply,” David Shepard, president of the Massachusetts Association of Dairy Farmers, said in a statement. “We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for the support needed to assure dairy farming remains a strong Massachusetts business.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW