Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

Avian influenza is a disease found in wild and domestic birds. The viruses can cause severe illness and death in domestic birds. Avian influenza can also impact dairy cattle.

The detections of HPAI in New York prompt reminders for livestock and commercial and hobby poultry farmers to increase their biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease. The Department encourages all producers to review their biosecurity plans and take precautions to protect their animals. Poultry biosecurity materials and checklists can be found on the USDA’s “Defend the Flock” website. Livestock biosecurity materials and resources can be found on the USDA livestock website.

In addition to practicing good biosecurity, poultry owners should keep their animals away from wild ducks and geese and their droppings. Outdoor access for poultry should be limited at this time.

To report sick birds, unexplained high number of deaths, or sudden drop in egg production, please contact the Department’s Division of Animal Industry at (518) 457-3502 or the USDA at (866) 536-7593.

Detections in New York

March 12, 2025 - To date, 48 flocks in New York State have tested positive for HPAI since February 2022. The Department is working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on a joint incident response and is also collaborating with partners at the Department of Health and Department of Environmental Conservation.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections remains low. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses. Birds from the affected flocks have not entered the food system.

A complete list of HPAI detections in commercial and backyard flocks in New York State can be found on the Department’s Poultry page.

According to USDA and the FDA, pasteurized milk and pasteurized dairy products remain safe to consume as pasteurization kills harmful microbes and pathogens in milk and there is also no concern regarding the consumption of properly cooked meat products. Find out more about HPAI and milk safety.

New York State’s Participation in the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy

New York State is participating in USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) to facilitate surveillance for HPAI within the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds, entering into a cooperative agreement with USDA that outlines the Department’s responsibilities within the NMTS.

In January 2025, the State began testing 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. Sampling and testing will take place on a monthly basis and comes at no cost to dairy farmers or processors.

If a detection is found, State inspectors will conduct additional verification sampling and testing, with traceback to the impacted farm if the sample is confirmed positive for HPAI. The NMTS involves five stages that will describe New York State’s HPAI testing activity and status.

Notice and Order Requiring Mandatory Monthly Testing for HPAI for Raw Milk Permit Holders

Because raw milk permit holders are not included in the NMTS, as their milk is not intended for pasteurization, a Notice and Order requiring mandatory monthly testing for HPAI for raw milk permit holders was issued on January 10, 2025.

In January 2025, Department inspectors began collecting raw milk samples for HPAI testing from raw milk permit holders during routine monthly inspections, or such other times as deemed necessary by the Department to assist in the detection of HPAI. The sample collection and testing will be performed at no cost to raw milk permit holders.

Together, the Notice and Order and the State’s participation in the NMTS further support the protection and health of New York’s dairy herds and poultry operations, ensuring that the State can identify lactating dairy cattle impacted by HPAI, implement enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of virus transmission to other livestock and mammals in the case of a non-negative detection, and continue to safeguard animal and human health.

New York State has taken multiple preventative measures to prevent the spread of HPAI and protect animal and human health since the first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Texas in March 2024. In April, June, and August 2024, the Department issued orders on import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York as well as testing requirements for lactating dairy cattle entering fairs or exhibitions. These orders continue to remain in place until further notice and require the following:

Effective August 2024, all non-lactating dairy cattle over eighteen months of age, except as applied to non-clinical dairy cattle moving directly to slaughter, originating from states where HPAI has been confirmed in cattle within thirty days, must meet the following requirements upon movement, shipment, or entry into the State of New York:

• For the movement, shipment, or entry into the State of New York of up to 30 non-lactating dairy cattle, each animal must be accompanied by a negative HPAI laboratory test report, conducted from samples collected within the previous 10 days and tested at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory.
• For the movement, shipment, or entry into the State of New York of 31 or more non-lactating dairy cattle moved interstate as a group, at least 30 cattle must be accompanied by a negative HPAI report as described above.
• The date of the test, test type, and test results must be recorded on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) accompanying the movement.

Additional import requirements for dairy cattle coming into New York State, first released in April 2024, remain in place. These are:

• importation of dairy cattle from a premises with a confirmed case of HPAI or a premises under investigation as a suspect premises is prohibited;
• dairy cattle imported from affected states must be accompanied by a CVI issued within 10 days prior to entry into the state; and
• CVIs issued for dairy cattle from affected states must include the statement: “All animals identified on the Certificate of Veterinary (CVI) have been examined and do not originate from a premises with a confirmed detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or that is currently under investigation as a suspect premises.”

Additionally, in June 2024, the state announced new testing requirements for lactating dairy cattle entering fairs or exhibitions to be tested and show negative results for HPAI within seven days prior to entering a fair, including The Great New York State Fair, county fairs, or other exhibitions. The test must be conducted by an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) lab.