HARRISBURG – PA Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced that the state’s dairy industry has been granted avian influenza-free status in the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy. The designation indicates that PA’s milk supply has been tested to rule out the presence of the virus in the state’s dairy cattle. The achievement is the result of collaboration among the Department of Agriculture and federal, industry, and academic partners. While PA is the first major U.S. dairy-producing state to achieve the status, the department will continue testing of bulk milk, due to the lingering disease threats in other states. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is highly infectious and is generally fatal to domestic birds. Cattle are not sickened to the degree that birds are, but the virus can be spread from cattle to poultry. In 2025, in PA domestic birds, there have been six affected commercial flocks, six affected backyard flocks, and over 2.2 million birds lost. Poultry producers should continue to implement strict biosecurity practices at all times, monitor bird health, and report any unexplained illnesses and deaths in a flock to 717-772-2852. Calls are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
