State health and agriculture officials said Monday they detected no trace of bird flu after testing all dairy herds across 95 licensed farms.
State health and agriculture officials said Monday they detected no trace of bird flu after testing all dairy herds across 95 licensed farms.
The Healey administration said officials decided to test all herds to protect public safety and to show the safety of the state's food supply, after the highly pathogenic avian influenza was identified in cows in Texas in March.
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The virus, commonly called avian influenza, has spread to at least 14 states. Some infected animals have symptoms such as lethargy and reduced milk production, and some infected dairy farm workers developed flu-like symptoms, officials said.
"The safety of our food supply goes hand-in-hand with the health and safety of residents of the Commonwealth," Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement. "We must remain vigilant and continue monitoring farms across the state to protect animal and public health. This is a great example of how collaboration across government and with communities can result in better health and maintain the integrity of the local dairy industry."
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Administration officials say Massachusetts is the only state to have tested all of its herds with "100% negative results."
DPH said it worked on the testing effort with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, whose inspectors in August collected milk samples from bulk tanks. The Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard also helped with the testing.
"Massachusetts dairy farmers follow stringent safety protocols and take great pride in producing the highest-quality products," MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle said. "That hard work protects all of us, and these test results demonstrate how supporting local agriculture and sourcing food from Massachusetts farms can keep our food supply strong and resilient."
