Biden administration will pay dairy farmers money to fight bird flu

Biden administration said on friday As part of a series of expanded measures aimed at containing the outbreak, the government will compensate dairy farmers who cooperated in efforts to curb the spread of the avian influenza virus.

The payment system is one of the strongest measures yet taken by agricultural officials who have scrambled to prevent the spread of the virus among dairy cows. Farm owners are reluctant to allow state and federal authorities access to cows or workers who have been exposed or infected with the virus, and are concerned about economic losses from infected herds and contaminated milk. I am concerned about the impact.

Under the so-called compensation program, farms will receive up to $28,000 to protect workers and cover the costs of treating and testing sick cows. Producers can also receive payments for lost milk production on farms with confirmed cases of avian influenza.

Farmworkers who agree to participate in government-sponsored research will also be compensated for their time.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said at a press conference on Friday that “we are in the process of preparing our producers to reduce the risk” of widespread spread, acknowledging the difficulty in getting it to farmers. Ta.

The program was part of a broader federal push announced Friday to increase spending to fight bird flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to expand testing capacity, which was a blind spot early in the coronavirus pandemic, and expand its evaluation of avian influenza vaccines as needed.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra added that the CDC plans to spend $93 million to track the virus. Of that amount, $34 million will go toward expanding testing and $29 million will go toward monitoring people who have been exposed to the virus and their contacts.

The agency will invest $14 million to expand genetic sequencing and analysis of virus samples isolated from infected animals and people.

“We recognize the urgency of this situation,” Becerra said.

Still, officials continued to stress that the risk to humans from the avian influenza virus remains low. Only one person has been confirmed infected with the virus known as H5N1, but the number is likely to rise. If more dairy workers were tested.

A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said more than 250 people with the virus were being monitored and 33 people who developed flu-like symptoms were tested.

Although the extent of avian influenza in cattle remains unclear, the number of sick cattle is gradually increasing. More than 40 herds in nine states have been infected. According to the Department of Agriculture This week's update included six new herds, four of which were in Michigan.

Vilsack suggested Friday that these new positive tests are not recent, adding that it is a “positive thing” that no state has reported new cases. But he said farms with infected herds were “suffering and we want to make sure we provide support”.

Payments to farmers are divided into five categories.

Dairy producers will be reimbursed up to $10,000 for potentially costly veterinary fees, including treating infected cows and taking samples for testing.

Up to $1,500 may be donated to farms to protect milk transporters, veterinarians, and other workers who may be exposed to infected cows or contaminated milk.

Farms with infected herds can receive up to $2,000 a month if they provide protective gear to workers and participate in federal investigations of the farm and its employees.

The CDC this week asked states to provide farms with goggles, face shields and gloves and educate farm workers on the importance of protecting themselves from the virus. But in states that have offered protective equipment since the outbreak began, few farms have accepted it.

The federal government will also pay dairy producers up to $2,000 a month to safely dispose of milk from infected cows.Virus-contaminated milk poses a risk to other animals: about 12 animals cat fed raw milk The infected cow died.

“This is a good start,” said Dr. Megan Davis, a veterinary epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It should have happened a month ago.”

Dr Davis said the amount of compensation would depend on the size of the farm and the technology used on it. Devising a compensation program for tens of thousands of dairy producers was more complex than one for the poultry industry, she said. Monopolized by major food companies People who benefit from payments from the government.

“They own their own farms, they own their own cows, they make their own decisions,” Dr. Davis said of dairy producers. “There’s more heterogeneity.”

Most infected cows develop mild symptoms — Accompanied by loss of appetite and low-grade fever — However, your milk production may be significantly lower. Vilsack said Friday that the USDA is considering making funds available from existing federal emergency assistance programs to compensate farms for reduced milk production.

The department is also encouraging states to limit herd movement within state borders as another way to reduce the spread of the virus.it's already Inspection of lactating dairy cows traveling between states is mandatory. and reporting positive cases.

Officials acknowledged they could not force farmers to test their workers or cattle more widely, but said they hoped to encourage cooperation.

“While we cannot necessarily mandate that samples be provided, we are clearly happy to accept samples that are voluntarily provided,” Vilsack said.

“Federal officials meet regularly with advocacy groups and other groups representing agricultural workers, because they help us, the public health It's a trusted link between the industry, the agriculture industry, and the workers themselves,” said Dr. Nirav Shah, CDC Principal Deputy Director. Briefing session.