The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets says the state has achieved “Unaffected” status as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Milk Testing Strategy designed to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza in dairy herds.

According to a release from the department, “This rigorous standard confirms that New York State has conducted ongoing testing and surveillance activities and that those demonstrate absence of the disease in dairy cattle in the state.”

To date, there have been no detections of bird flu in dairy cattle in New York state.

According to USDA and the Food and Drug Administration, pasteurized milk and pasteurized dairy products remain safe to consume as pasteurization kills harmful microbes and pathogens, including bird flu, in milk and there is also no concern regarding the consumption of properly cooked meat products.

More information is available at the FDA website.

“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,” said State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball in the release. “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.”

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, Ag and Markets says. Sampling and testing take place monthly and come at no cost to dairy farmers or processors.