USDA says it plans to spend $824 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation to launch a new Voluntary H5N1 Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program.
The agency says the program will give producers more options to monitor the health of their herds and move cows quickly while providing ongoing testing and expanding USDA’s understanding of the disease.
The main benefit for farmers who enroll in the voluntary pilot program is that they can prove their herds are free from H5N1 with results from a National Animal Health Laboratory Network facility. If the herds test negative for three consecutive weeks, farmers will be able to move animals without additional pre-movement testing currently required under the federal order.
Producers from participating states can begin enrolling the week of June 3.
Click HERE to read the full release from USDA.
Source: NAFB News Service