The Department of Agriculture will require dairy producers in several states to submit raw milk samples in order to test for Bird Flu infection. 

No, this does not mean the milk you buy at the grocery store could be infected with Bird Flu. Pasteurization kills the virus, and the risk of transmission to humans remains low. The live virus has, however, been identified in raw, unpasteurized milk, so if you’re into that kind of thing, this may be a sign to reconsider what you’re drinking. 

The new federal guidelines are part of a “National Milk Testing Strategy” (NMTS) aimed at identifying bird flu infections in dairy cattle herds amidst an outbreak of the disease in several states. According to a press release issued by the USDA on Friday, “this NMTS is designed to increase USDA’s and public health partners’ understanding of the virus’ spread in the United States through a structured, uniform, and mandatory testing system that will help swiftly identify which states, and specific herds within them, are affected with H5N1.” 

Infected herds are subjected to enhanced biosecurity measures to decrease the risk of transmission to other livestock —  as the virus is incredibly deadly to poultry — as well as mitigate the risk of potential human transmission. 

“This testing strategy is a critical part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of individuals and communities nationwide,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Our primary responsibility at HHS is to protect public health and the safety of the food supply, and we continue to work closely with USDA and all stakeholders on continued testing for H5N1 in retail milk and dairy samples from across the country to ensure the safety of the commercial pasteurized milk supply.” 

Read that twice: the nation’s “pasteurized milk supply.” Unpasteurized “raw” milk, the consumption of which has been promoted by health conspiracy theorist and presumptive HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., can contain all manner of deadly pathogens, other bacteria and viruses, and a myriad of icky things found on an udder. In March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) all issued warnings against drinking raw milk.

Save yourself an upset tummy, or something much worse, and avoid the raw stuff. While you’re at it, send Louis Pasteur’s long departed soul a little “thank you” for creating one of the greatest advancements in food safety in human history.