Initial testing will commence in six states, aiming to eliminate the H5N1 virus detected in more than 700 herds since March|Cheeseslave|CC BY 2.0

The government announced that the country’s milk supply for bird flu will be tested starting December 16. The Department of Agriculture mandated on Friday that companies handling raw milk, such as bulk milk transporters and dairy processors, must provide samples to the USDA when requested.

Initial testing will commence in six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania, aiming to eliminate the H5N1 virus detected in more than 700 herds since March.