- June 4, 2026
Florida beefing up rules regarding dairy cattle movement into the state because of the detection in Idaho of a type of avian influenza.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson imposed an emergency rule Tuesday requiring dairy cattle imported into Florida to meet testing and movement requirements. For lactating dairy cattle, this includes a negative test for Bovine Associated Influenza A Syndrome (H5N1) and a completed veterinary inspection in the prior week.
Non-lactating dairy cattle imported from states with a suspected or confirmed case of H5N1 must have the veterinary inspection completed in the prior 10 days.
The disease detrimentally affects the health and milk production of dairy cattle.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture posted online Wednesday that in the past 30 days there have been three separate confirmed cases involving 14 cattle, all in Idaho.
There have been no detections of HPAI in Florida livestock, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
The release from the state department notes that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “is confident that pasteurization is effective at inactivating H5N1, and that the commercial, pasteurized milk supply is safe.”
