WASHINGTON — The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced federal assistance totaling nearly $200 million to aid producers and mitigate H5N1, the strain widely known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

The USDA alone is putting $98 million into its mitigation action plan. The agency is assisting producers with H5N1-affected premises to improve onsite biosecurity and reduce the spread of the disease through the following aid:

• Up to $2,000 per month will be granted to producers who provide personal protective equipment to employees or facilitate the participation of their workers in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) farmworker study. 
• Up to $1,500 will be available for producers to develop biosecurity plans based on existing secure milk supply plans. 
• An additional $100 will be offered to producers who purchase and use an in-line sampler for their milk system.
• Up to $2,000 per month will be granted to producers who establish a system to heat treat all waste milk before disposal. 
• Up to $10,000 of veterinary costs of treating cattle with H5N1 are eligible for coverage from the initial date of positive confirmation for that farm.
• USDA will pay for the cost of shipping samples to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network labs for testing, at most $50 per shipment for up to 2 shipments per month.

Additionally, the agency provides financial tools for producing lost milk in herds affected by the virus. Funding from the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program will be made available to compensate eligible producers who experienced loss of milk production due to an outbreak.

Complementing the USDA’s mitigation strategy, HHS announced investments through the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) totaling $101 million for the same purposes.

“Although the CDC’s assessment of the risk of avian influenza infection for the general public continues to remain low at this time, these investments reflect the department’s commitment to prioritizing the health and safety of the American public,” the agency said.

The CDC will continue to monitor the virus to detect any changes that may increase risk to people and deliver updated guidance for livestock workers. The agency has already begun recommending PPE to farm workers, prioritizing those who work with infected cows.

The CDC’s investments will work to bolster testing and laboratory capacity, surveillance, genomic sequencing, support jurisdictions, and partner efforts to reach high-risk populations.

The FDA maintains its collaboration with the USDA to conduct testing of retail milk and dairy sample testing across the country to ensure the safety of the commercial pasteurized milk supply.