The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets today announced that New York has achieved Unaffected status as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) designed to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy herds. This rigorous standard confirms that New York State has conducted ongoing testing and surveillance activities and that those demonstrate absence of the disease in dairy cattle in the state. Reaching this critical benchmark comes in large part thanks to the hard work of New York’s dairy and poultry farmers who have worked to implement and reinforce strong proactive biosecurity measures on farms across the state. To date, there have been no detections of HPAI in dairy cattle in New York State.
According to USDA and the FDA, pasteurized milk and pasteurized dairy products remain safe to consume as pasteurization kills harmful microbes and pathogens, including HPAI, in milk and there is also no concern regarding the consumption of properly cooked meat products. Find out more about HPAI and milk safety.
State Agriculture Commissioner A. Ball said, “Our dairy farmers, poultry farmers, and inspectors across the state have been working tirelessly to ensure that dairy cattle in New York remain free of HPAI. Reaching Unaffected status affirms that their hard work is paying off, and I thank all the farmers who have been instrumental in reaching this benchmark. We will continue to keep up our testing and surveillance so New Yorkers can be assured that their favorite local dairy products are safe and healthy to consume.”
“Achieving Unaffected Status is a significant public health milestone and reflects the strength of our surveillance systems and the commitment of our agricultural partners to protecting human and animal health,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “I’m happy to assure New Yorkers that our milk supply remains safe and that dairy products can continue to be a healthy, reliable part of our daily nutrition.”
In January, the Department announced that it was participating in USDA’s NMTS to facilitate surveillance for HPAI within the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds. The Department implemented the NMTS on New York dairy farms, in coordination with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), FDA, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). Through the NMTS, the State continues to 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 take place monthly and come at no cost to dairy farmers or processors. Ensuring that New York’s dairy herds are free of HPAI is critical to protecting farm workers who come into contact with these animals. Additionally, this work ensures that raw milk is free of HPAI, although it’s important to note that pasteurization is the only proven way to ensure the safety of milk and dairy products.
The NMTS facilitates comprehensive HPAI surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds and provides a strategy to identify which states and herds within them are affected with HPAI. More information about NMTS, including each state’s status, can be found at aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock/nmts. NMTS involves five stages that describe states’ HPAI testing activity and status. New York State joins 20 other states in achieving Unaffected status.
Also, in early 2025, Department inspectors began collecting raw milk samples for HPAI testing from raw milk permit holders during routine monthly inspections to assist in the detection of HPAI and recently began the collection of raw milk samples for raw milk cheese processors
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. More detail, including resources for producers, can be found at agriculture.ny.gov/news/new-york-state-announces-further-proactive-measures-monitor-hpai-livestock-following-outbreak and agriculture.ny.gov/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai.