by Jack Montgomery, The National Pulse:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has mandated testing of the nation’s milk supply due to growing concerns over bird flu, first identified in a Texas cow in March. The virus has since affected over 710 dairy herds across 15 states, with California experiencing the most cases. There have been 58 human infections, including a child from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Under the new federal order, regulators can collect samples for testing from dairy farms and during milk transportation or processing. Private laboratories must report any positive findings. Initially, this testing program will be implemented in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. The USDA indicated that the order aims to “identify where the disease is present, monitor trends, and help states identify potentially affected herds.”