New USDA Mandated Silo Milk Sampling and Monitoring Program for HPAI Begins January 2nd
by E.B. Flory – VAAFM Food Safety and Consumer Protection Division Director and Dairy Section Chief
In early 2024, the H5N1 virus, or HPAI, infected dairy cattle in Texas and has since spread to dairy cattle (and some people) in many states. HPAI has not been detected in New England or New York, but the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the State of Vermont want to limit HPAI’s spread . USDA is working to eradicate the disease across the United States.
Toward that end, USDA announced a mandatory raw milk monitoring program at dairy processing facilities across the U.S. to monitor and identify HPAI on dairy farms beginning in December 2024 . Because a large volume of Vermont milk is exported and processed in other states and commingled with milk from numerous other states in dairy plants, determining the identify of the source farm(s) or state(s) of a positive any Vermont dairy should contract HPAI, early detection enables prompt containment, treatment, and improved herd health . tive test result from comingled milk may be necessary .
To address this challenge, the mandatory processor samples will include farm BTU (Bulk Tank Unit) numbers enabling USDA to contact states that may be the source of the positive HPAI result in the commingled sample . If a silo milk sample tests positive for HPAI, USDA will contact all states that shipped milk to that silo based on BTU information . Each state will then be expected to either prove that its dairies are free from HPAI or identify the source farm(s) that has/have HPAI .
The objective is to protect public health and the dairy industry, which is why VAAFM will sample cow dairy farm bulk tanks in Vermont to protect our dairy farmers and farm workers, safeguard herd health, and allow the continuation of normal dairy operations .
Beginning January 2nd, 2025, VAAFM personnel will collect raw milk samples from farm bulk tanks, starting with monthly samples . The monitoring program is expected to continue until further notice from USDA . The ultimate goal of the monitoring program is to achieve nationwide disease eradication of HPAI in bovine cattle .
Why is Vermont Implementing Bulk Tank Testing?
- Establishing Benchmark Testing Data: By conducting monthly bulk tank samples for dairy farms, we anticipate that Vermont will be able to demonstrate that our farms’ milk is HPAI free . This will allow Vermont to be ruled out quickly as a suspect state when commingled raw milk from numerous states is tested by USDA at dairy processing facilities. Knowing each farm’s status will allow the shipment and processing of milk to not be interrupted.
- Early Detection and Response: Studies indicate HPAI can be detected up to two weeks before clinical signs appear in cattle. If any Vermont dairy should contract HPAI, early detection enables prompt containment, treatment, and improved herd health.
- Cross-Species Risk: Many dairies operate near farms with poultry, increasing the risk of cross-species, cross-sector transmission. States affected with HPAI in bovine cattle have had transmission from dairies to poultry operations resulting in poultry depopulation, economic losses, and industry tension.
- Potential Regional Disease-Free Status: If Vermont can reach a disease-free status with USDA, existing lactating animal movement testing could be reduced. Disease-free status may increase buyer confidence in Vermont milk.
More Detail
- Samples will be processed at Cornell University’s certified lab and results will be reported to VAAFM within approximately one to two weeks.
- VAAFM will only notify farms of positive HPAI sample results.
- Sample results from individual farms are confidential and exempt from disclosure under the public records act . Data related to the HPAI monitoring program will be compiled anonymously. • If a farm’s milk tests positive for HPAI, VAAFM’s Animal Health section will contact you to discuss how to protect yourself, your employees, and your herd, and they will also review how to mitigate the spread of HPAI to other farms .
- If a Vermont farm’s milk tests positive for HPAI, milk destined for pasteurization will be allowed to ship, because pasteurization effectively inactivates the HPAI virus in dairy products.
For questions or concerns related to sample collection, please contact the Dairy Section at 802-828-2433.
For additional information on HPAI please contact the Animal Health Section at 802-828-2421.
More Resources and FAQ's About HPAI in Dairy Cattle Here
An Open Letter to the Vermont Farm Community
By Vermont Agriculture Secretary Anson Tebbetts & Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore
As we shared earlier this fall, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has directed Vermont to make changes to its water quality regulation of farms. Specifically, EPA is requiring the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) to assume a greater role in inspections and compliance monitoring, and to issue permits to farms that are discharging to state waters. The Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (AAFM) will continue to issue permits and regulate farms that are not discharging to state waters. EPA has determined that this change is necessary to fulfill our obligations under the federal Clean Water Act. We are committed to keeping the agriculture community informed of this work as it goes forward and so are reaching out to provide some additional information.
Earlier this week, ANR submitted a draft corrective action plan, or CAP, to EPA. The CAP was prepared in response to a directive ANR received from EPA in September that stated ANR was not fulfilling its obligations under the federal Clean Water Act regarding the regulation of water quality on farms. Specifically, EPA stated that ANR needed to take a larger role in conducting routine farm inspections, reviewing nutrient management plans, and issuing permits to any farms found to be discharging.
The draft CAP proposes to shift regulatory oversight to ANR, over time, for farms where there is evidence of a discharge. The next step is for EPA to review the draft CAP and either approve it or return it to ANR if they find changes or additional commitments are needed. We anticipate receiving this feedback from EPA in early 2025.
Once we have gained EPA’s approval of the draft CAP, one of the first public-facing steps in implementing the CAP will be for ANR staff to join AAFM in their routine inspections of medium and large farms; we expect these joint inspections to begin this spring.
Sincerely,
Anson Tebbetts, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
Julie Moore, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Read All January 2025 Agriview Articles Here
Bale Wrap Wanted for Recycling Program
By Michael Snow, Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance
Used bale wrap piling up? The Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance (CRWFA) has a new recycling program to help farmers in Vermont and New Hampshire turn agricultural plastic waste into something useful.
Many of us use plastic on the farm – to cover bunks and ensile feed, to move sap through the sugarbush, cover high tunnels and greenhouses, to mulch the ground and irrigate high value crops, et cetera. For better or worse, plastic can improve farm economics, reduce silage leachate, and help us deal with changing weather patterns. Many of us might have a hard time running our farms without it.
A drawback to using agricultural plastics; we have to dispose of it. Recycling those plastics is challenging. They are difficult to keep clean and store due to their use and bulk. They are not included in state recycling programs in either Vermont or New Hampshire. Very few recycling markets exist for them, and those that do pay very little. Instead, most of us take our plastic to the landfill, where tipping fees are among the highest in the country. There aren't many good options.
CRWFA has started collecting used bale wrap to take to a recycling plant out of state. Guy Crosby (Clay Hill Farm and CRWFA board member) and Annie Macmillan are leading the effort. "We want this to be a reliable, economical, and farm-led recycling program," they said.
For the time being, the program is a pilot for Connecticut River basin farmers and is taking bale wrap only: no nylon net wrap, bunk plastic, or horticultural plastics. As the group works out logistical details, it hopes to expand collection to other parts of the state, or to collaborate with other groups to do so. It is also exploring markets for other plastics.
Participating farmers are asked to share responsibility for sending reasonably clean plastic to recyclers out of state. According to the organizers: "We're only taking bale wrap at this time. And it needs to be clean to take to the recyclers. Some bale juice is okay, but we can't send gravel, mud, water or ice to them. If the wrap is too dirty, they might refuse it or pay us less, which will make it more difficult to cover our transportation costs."
CRWFA is asking each farm to join the organization, a $50 membership. That money will help cover costs related to collection and organization. From there the process is simple:
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CRWFA will deliver totes (super sacks) to your farm.
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You fill them with clean, dry bale wrap—no gravel, dirt, manure, or ice allowed.
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Contact CRWFA when your totes are full, and we will pick them up and leave fresh ones.
Then plastic will be compacted and stored until delivery to Pennsylvania, the expected market.
For farms that use large amounts of bale wrap and find totes inconvenient, the program can work with you to find an alternative solution.
The group is working with more than twenty farms heading into the new year and looking for more interested farmers. If you are interested, come to our Annual Meeting, which is 10am-2pm on Wednesday, January 15th at Billings Farm in Woodstock, Vermont. You can also get in touch with CRWFA through our website, by email, or phone.
To sign up for the program or learn more, you can:
- Attend the CRWFA Annual Meeting on January 15 at Billings Farm in Woodstock, VT
- Fill out the Bale Wrap Recycling Form, found at https://www.crwfa.org/ag-plastics
- Email [email protected]
- Call CRWFA at (802) 345-9201
Vermont Produce Safety Training Course Coming This March
By Sam Ebeling, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
Do you want to cultivate produce safety culture on your farm? The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets is partnering with UVM Extension to host another Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training on March 5-6. The first day of training will be over video call for the morning. The second day will be at the Berlin Extension Office.
We will discuss the regulatory requirements of the FDA Produce Safety Rule and produce safety best practices, with opportunities to connect with other growers. By the end of the training, you will be able to identify and reduce produce safety risks on your farm and will receive a certificate verifying course completion.
This course is open to all growers, farm workers, gleaners, and those who support farms. If you or someone on your farm has already completed the PSA Grower Training, consider attending as a refresher or sending another employee. This opportunity can enrich your farm’s food safety culture and employees’ working knowledge as professional development that they can carry with them throughout their farming careers.
This training satisfies the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Produce Safety Rule requirement for covered farms that “at least one supervisor or responsible party” completes food safety training “recognized as adequate” by FDA (21 C.F.R. 112.22(c)).
The Vermont training will be offered at minimal cost and will include lunch. For more information about the PSA Grower Training Course and other training options, including an online course, visit the PSA website at cals.cornell.edu/produce-safety-alliance/training/grower-training-course.
Contact us for more information at [email protected] or 802-828-2433. Registration information is available on our website at agriculture.vermont.gov/produce.
More Produce and Specialty Crop Opportunities Here
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