Pennsylvania agricultural leaders on alert as bird flu spreads

Pennsylvania agriculture leaders are on high alert as bird flu continues to spread in cattle farms across the country. So far, 12 states have reported cattle infected with bird flu. The virus started in the middle of the United States but is moving east. Dr. Greg Martin is with Penn State Ag Extension. He knows how devastating bird flu can be. Pennsylvania has lost more than four million birds since the outbreak began in 2022. Now he’s working to make sure the flu doesn’t invade the state’s dairy farms. “We in Pennsylvania can’t just sit back and say we dodged a bullet. We need to continue to maintain a good level of biosecurity,” Martin said. So far, the state has mandated that no livestock can enter the state without first being tested. Additionally, biohazard signs are being posted at dairy and poultry farms to remind visitors to follow sanitation protocols. According to Martin, “we need to make sure we take every precaution to stop the threat.” Milk from infected cows is thrown away and the cows are taken out of production. Martin said the milk you buy in the store has been pasteurized to kill all bacteria and viruses and is therefore safe to drink.