USDA announces federal order for national milk testing to monitor bird flu in dairy herds

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a new federal order requiring raw, unpasteurized milk samples nationwide to be tested, federal officials announced Friday. 

The move is part of the department's announcement of its "National Milk Testing Strategy," which builds on previous actions taken for the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI H5N1, in dairy cattle that was first detected in March, according to a news release from the department.

The bird flu virus has been spreading rapidly, particularly in California, where nearly 500 of the more than 700 infected U.S. herds have been detected.