USDA Mandates Nationwide Milk Testing Amid Bird Flu Surge

USDA Mandates Nationwide Milk Testing Amid Bird Flu Surge
Above: Raw milk from Raw Farm is displayed for sale at a grocery store on Nov. 29, 2,024 in Torrance, California. Image copyright: Patrick T. Fallon/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Milk testing, especially for raw milk, is essential to combat the bird flu outbreak, which has spread to dairy cows in 15 states, posing a serious threat to public health and industry. Pennsylvania, for example, is being proactive to prevent the spread of disease and protect its multi-billion-dollar dairy industry and its workers. This health scare also proves the inherent risks of raw milk — often linked to greater outbreaks — and the need to prioritize safety over unregulated practices.

Establishment-critical narrative

The federal government’s heightened focus on bird flu and raw milk testing appears less about public safety and more about expanding federal control. While testing milk for pathogens is reasonable, targeting perfectly healthy farms through questionable PCR tests mirrors the federal overreach seen during COVID. Americans should not be spied on or forced to close their businesses simply because Washington bureaucrats don't like their lifestyle.

Metaculus Prediction


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