This achievement stems from intensive collaboration between the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and federal, industry, and academic partners. Since the testing mandate was introduced in late November 2024, the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) has processed over 22,000 bulk milk samples, covering nearly all of the state’s 4,784 dairy farms. These efforts followed the first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas in March 2024, prompting Pennsylvania to act swiftly by initiating testing requirements and transportation restrictions for dairy cattle. The state also launched an innovative voluntary testing program for lactating dairy cows.

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding applauded the milestone as a critical step in ensuring the safety of Pennsylvania’s food supply while acknowledging the challenges ahead. “Pennsylvania’s food supply is safe and secure, due to a unified, aggressive, and effective response strategy,” said Redding. “We are not out of the woods yet, and the threat demands that we keep our guard up. But strategic, commonsense investments by the Shapiro Administration, combined with critical partnerships across our state and federal agencies and industries, have made a very real difference.”

Funding from bipartisan-supported budgets over the past two years has played a crucial role in mitigating losses in the poultry sector while protecting the dairy industry. Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025-26 budget aims to build on this progress, with strategic investments to sustain Pennsylvania’s leadership in agriculture. HPAI remains a threat to both birds and cattle in other states, as underscored by a recent detection of a new H5N1 strain in Nevada dairy cattle.