Milk from Minnesota dairy farms to undergo mandatory testing for bird flu | 12 Jan 2025 | Agriculture officials next month will begin mandatory testing of milk from Minnesota's dairy farms for highly pathogenic avian influenza. The U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered national testing of raw milk in a federal order in December, beginning with six states. The testing has now expanded to 28 states, which produce nearly two-thirds of the nation’s milk supply. The USDA says the goal of the testing is to gain a clearer picture of the presence of the H5N1 virus in dairy herds... Avian influenza has been confirmed in dairy cattle in 16 states, including Minnesota, which had nine cases last year.