New York State Announces Further Proactive Measures to Monitor HPAI in Livestock Following Outbreak in Other States

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (the Department) today announced that it is implementing new testing initiatives as part of its aggressive, proactive response to the outbreak of HPAI in livestock in other states. Working in close collaboration with federal partners, including USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, FDA, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and state partners, including the New York State Department of Health, this enhanced testing strategy is part of the State’s effort to protect animal and human health and prevent the transmission of HPAI in livestock in New York State. While there have been no detections of HPAI in livestock in New York to date, the State's comprehensive approach is aimed at ensuring the state remains free of HPAI and facilitating early detection. In response to the findings of HPAI in multiple states across the country, the Department, through a cooperative agreement with USDA, is participating in the National Milk Testing Strategy and today issued a Notice and Order to ensure raw milk permit holders are also included in the State’s testing strategy.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “While New York continues to have no cases of HPAI in our livestock, I want New Yorkers to know that we are doing everything we can to make sure the disease stays out – and, that we will know right away if there is a case within our borders. We’re signing a Notice and Order today and finalizing a cooperative agreement with USDA to make sure that our dairies across the state are being monitored closely for detections of the virus in their milk, and that we have a plan in place if we have a non-negative detection. Working closely with our State and Federal partners, the Department has been taking proactive measures since HPAI was detected in livestock in March 2024, we are continuing to take action, engaging with affected states to learn from their experiences, communicating with our industry, and implementing a comprehensive monitoring strategy to make sure that our animal health and public health are secure.”

“Fortunately, no human or livestock cases of avian influenza have been diagnosed in New York State, and I commend the State Department of Agriculture and Markets for implementing new testing initiatives,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “The State Department of Health and the State Department of Agriculture and Markets are using all the tools at our disposal to monitor for avian influenza to protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers.”

New York State is participating in USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) to facilitate surveillance for HPAI within the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds, entering into a cooperative agreement with USDA that outlines the Department’s responsibilities within the NMTS. Beginning this month, the State will test raw milk samples collected at every silo containing Grade “A” milk intended for pasteurization at processing facilities receiving Grade “A” bulk raw cow’s milk. Sampling and testing will take place on a monthly basis and comes at no cost to dairy farmers or processors. If a detection is found, State inspectors will conduct additional verification sampling and testing, with traceback to the impacted farm if the sample is confirmed positive for HPAI. The NMTS involves five stages that will describe New York State’s HPAI testing activity and status. As of January 8, 2025, 28 states across the nation, including New York State, are participants in the NMTS.

Additionally, because raw milk permit holders are not included in the NMTS, as their milk is not intended for pasteurization, Commissioner Ball today signed a Notice and Order requiring mandatory monthly testing for HPAI for raw milk permit holders. Together, the Notice and Order and the State’s participation in the NMTS further support the protection and health of New York’s dairy herds and poultry operations, ensuring that the State can identify lactating dairy cattle impacted by HPAI, implement enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of virus transmission to other livestock and mammals in the case of a non-negative detection, and continue to safeguard animal and human health.

According to USDA and the FDA, pasteurized milk and pasteurized dairy products remain safe to consume as pasteurization kills harmful microbes and pathogens in milk and there is also no concern regarding the consumption of properly cooked meat products. Find out more about HPAI and milk safety.

New York State has taken multiple preventative measures to prevent the spread of HPAI and protect animal and human health since the first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas in March 2024. In April, June, and August 2024, the Department issued orders on import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York as well as testing requirements for lactating dairy cattle entering fairs or exhibitions. These orders continue to remain in place until further notice and require the following:

Effective August 2024, all non-lactating dairy cattle over eighteen months of age, except as applied to non-clinical dairy cattle moving directly to slaughter, originating from states where HPAI has been confirmed in cattle within thirty days, must meet the following requirements upon movement, shipment, or entry into the State of New York:

• For the movement, shipment, or entry into the State of New York of up to 30 non-lactating dairy cattle, each animal must be accompanied by a negative HPAI laboratory test report, conducted from samples collected within the previous 10 days and tested at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory.
• For the movement, shipment, or entry into the State of New York of 31 or more non-lactating dairy cattle moved interstate as a group, at least 30 cattle must be accompanied by a negative HPAI report as described above.
• The date of the test, test type, and test results must be recorded on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) accompanying the movement.

Additional import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York State, first released in April 2024, remain in place. These are:

• importation of dairy cattle from a premises with a confirmed case of HPAI or a premises under investigation as a suspect premises is prohibited;
• dairy cattle imported from affected states must be accompanied by a CVI issued within 10 days prior to entry into the state; and
• CVIs issued for dairy cattle from affected states must include the statement: “All animals identified on the Certificate of Veterinary (CVI) have been examined and do not originate from a premises with a confirmed detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or that is currently under investigation as a suspect premises.”

Additionally, in June 2024, the state announced new testing requirements for lactating dairy cattle entering fairs or exhibitions to be tested and show negative results for HPAI within seven days prior to entering a fair, including The Great New York State Fair, county fairs, or other exhibitions. The test must be conducted by an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) lab.

USDA offers several producer support programs that are available to all dairy producers as well as certain programs only available to dairy producers with HPAI-positive herds. These programs include tools to support biosecurity planning and implementation as well as financial support programs to offset costs associated with HPAI testing, veterinary expenses, personal protective equipment purchases, milk disposal, and milk losses.

The Department continues to encourage farmers to implement strong biosecurity practices and to be in close contact with veterinarians if they see any signs or symptoms of illness in farm animals.

Clinical signs of HPAI seen in affected cattle include:

• decreased milk production;
• acute sudden drop in production with some severely impacted cows experiencing thicker, concentrated milk;
• decrease in feed consumption;
• abnormal feces;
• and low-grade fever.

Clinical signs seen in affected newborn goats include:

• unusual deaths.

If any of these symptoms are noted, veterinarians are urged to call the Department at (518) 457-3502 for sampling guidance. USDA continues to study how the virus is believed to be spread. Read the National Epidemiological Brief.