Hundreds of samples of raw milk in Minnesota have been tested for bird flu as the state ramps up its effort to slow the spread of the virus. 

The national effort started in January; Minnesota’s milk started getting tested last month — now, a couple of weeks into the testing, 600 farms of the state’s 1,600 have been tested, and there have been no positive tests. 

“It’s kind of a multi-coalition [effort], and if we do end up getting any positive, or a non-negative, then we’ll continue doing more surveillance,” Dr. Hemant Naikare, director of the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory 

Dr. Naikare’s lab is doing the testing as it gets samples from another lab that already receives raw milk for other safety testing. 

The current bird flu outbreak has led to the death of tens of millions of birds, taking a toll on farmers and sending egg prices soaring. And now, the virus has spread to people and different animals, including cows. 

Overseeing the raw milk testing in Minnesota is the Department of Agriculture (MDA). 

“It’s been going really well so far,” Dr. Nicole Neeser, director of dairy & meat inspection with the MDA, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS. 

She adds so far 600 farms have been tested, with no positive results for bird flu — the goal is to test a sample from every one of the state’s 1,600 dairy farms at least once a month. It will likely last for at least a year. 

“This is definitely new territory for us in terms of trying to identify how the virus acts in these herds, how it spreads and how we can prevent it,” Dr. Neeser said. 

Neesesr stresses the milk on store shelves is safe, as it’s pasteurized.