WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday said it will expand bird flu testing of beef entering the food supply as part of its response to the ongoing outbreak among dairy cattle, adding that U.S. beef and dairy products remain safe to consume.
USDA officials, in a call with reporters along with staff from other U.S. health agencies, said the tests will begin in mid-September and urged livestock workers to remain vigilant.
Nearly 200 herds in 13 U.S. states have contracted bird flu since March after the virus jumped from wild birds to cows, USDA data has shown.
The USDA in May tested 109 beef samples from dairy cows sent to slaughter and found bird flu virus particles in one cow’s tissue sample. Older dairy cattle are often slaughtered for meat.
Eric Deeble, an under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, told reporters that the USDA is confident with the current level of testing conducted by the nation’s dairy farmers.
“I do feel that the response is adequate,” he said.
(Reporting by Leah Douglas, Tom Polansek and Bhanvi Satija; editing by Susan Heavey)
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