The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has announced that the state has achieved “Unaffected” status under the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS), confirming that there is no presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in New York’s dairy cattle.
This designation follows extensive testing and surveillance, demonstrating the disease’s absence across the state’s dairy herds. Officials credit the achievement to the strong biosecurity efforts of New York’s dairy and poultry farmers, who have proactively implemented measures to keep livestock safe.
To date, no cases of HPAI have been detected in dairy cattle in New York.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said, “Our dairy farmers, poultry farmers, and inspectors across the state have been working tirelessly to ensure that dairy cattle in New York remain free of HPAI. Reaching Unaffected status affirms that their hard work is paying off, and I thank all the farmers who have been instrumental in reaching this benchmark. We will continue to keep up our testing and surveillance so New Yorkers can be assured that their favorite local dairy products are safe and healthy to consume.”
“Achieving Unaffected status is a significant public health milestone and reflects the strength of our surveillance systems and the commitment of our agricultural partners to protecting human and animal health,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “I’m happy to assure New Yorkers that our milk supply remains safe and that dairy products can continue to be a healthy, reliable part of our daily nutrition.”
The USDA and FDA continue to stress that pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume, as pasteurization effectively kills harmful pathogens like HPAI. Properly cooked meat products also pose no risk to consumers.
In January, the Department announced that it was participating in USDA’s NMTS to facilitate surveillance for HPAI within the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds. The Department implemented the NMTS on New York dairy farms, in coordination with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), FDA, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). Through the NMTS, the State continues to test raw milk samples collected at every silo containing Grade “A” milk intended for pasteurization at processing facilities receiving Grade “A” bulk raw cow’s milk. Sampling and testing take place monthly and come at no cost to dairy farmers or processors. Ensuring that New York’s dairy herds are free of HPAI is critical to protecting farm workers who come into contact with these animals. Additionally, this work ensures that raw milk is free of HPAI, although it’s important to note that pasteurization is the only proven way to ensure the safety of milk and dairy products.
The NMTS facilitates comprehensive HPAI surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds and provides a strategy to identify which states and herds within them are affected with HPAI. More information about NMTS, including each state’s status, can be found at aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock/nmts. NMTS involves five stages that describe states’ HPAI testing activity and status. New York State joins 20 other states in achieving Unaffected status.
Also, in early 2025, Department inspectors began collecting raw milk samples for HPAI testing from raw milk permit holders during routine monthly inspections to assist in the detection of HPAI and recently began the collection of raw milk samples for raw milk cheese processors.
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