1. Gallego, Colleagues Urge USDA to Prioritize HPAI Poultry Vaccine Strategy
Sen. Ruben Gallego Press Release
December 11, 2025
WASHINGTON - Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and 22 Senate colleagues urged Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to move forward with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry while encouraging a comprehensive, science-based approach.
Earlier this year, Hickman Family Farms, one of the largest egg producers in the country, lost nearly its entire chicken population in Arizona due to avian flu.
"We are writing to encourage the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to continue prioritizing an avian flu vaccine strategy that takes into account a comprehensive, science-based approach for the potential vaccination of poultry and livestock that have been impacted by this disease," wrote the Senators. "Avian flu infections have already begun to increase as winter approaches, and it is essential that USDA take renewed action to address and fight this virus."
"The USDA recently noted that a draft proposal of an avian flu vaccine strategy for poultry was currently under review, and we strongly urge the Department to advance this review process with speed and diligence, while allowing for proactive consultation with affected stakeholders," the Senators continued. "Any finalized vaccine strategy must take into account feedback from animal health stakeholders, industry experts, and be grounded in sound science. It must also be comprehensive in scope, addressing all impacted species, including turkeys and egg-laying hens. Once a vaccine is developed and USDA has confirmed its safety and efficacy, a vaccine strategy for dairy cattle should also be prioritized."
ISU study shows potential path for spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza [IA]
By Cami Koons, Iowa Capital Dispatch
Atlantic News Telegram
December 11, 2025
When the current outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was detected in dairy cattle in March 2024, a group of researchers at Iowa State University started to ask questions.
"If this virus can show up in cow milk, can it show up in other types of milk?" Todd Bell, a professor of veterinary pathology at ISU, recalled asking.
Bell, Rahul Nelli, a research assistant professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine at ISU, and more than a dozen other researchers examined the mammary glands of commonly milked livestock to find out.
Full text: https://www.swiowanewssource.com/atlantic/article_e9d1798b-6df5-4e5b-b1f6-f111b0ee5d27.html
Avian flu hits flock of 20,900 Minnesota turkeys [edited]
The latest flock infection is in Waseca County.
By Roy Graber
WATTAgNet.com
December 12, 2025
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has appeared in a commercial poultry flock in Minnesota for the first time since October.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported that on December 9, the presence of HPAI was confirmed in a flock of 20,900 commercial meat turkeys in Waseca County.
So far in 2025, Minnesota has lost 22 commercial poultry flocks to HPAI.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Shelby County Commercial Flock [TX]
Texas Animal Health Commission Press Release
December 12, 2025
AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza
(HPAI) in a commercial flock (poultry) in Shelby County, Texas. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in a commercial
facility in Texas this year.
Following considerable mortality in the flock, samples were submitted to a Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic
Laboratory and confirmed December 11, 2025.
The TAHC is working closely with federal animal health officials on a joint incident response. State officials
quarantined the affected premises, and as part of existing avian influenza response, are working to conduct
surveillance in areas around the affected flock.
Full text: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/2025/2025-12-12_HPAI_ShelbyCo.pdf
3. USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Dairy Herd in Wisconsin
Milk Supply Safe; Considered Low Risk to Human Health and Safety
APHIS Stakeholder Registry
December 14, 2025
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed via PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) assay a detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b in a dairy cattle herd in Wisconsin. APHIS will complete genetic sequencing and announce final results as soon as they are available. This confirmation was a result of routine National Milk Testing Strategy testing, not pre-movement surveillance.
This marks the first known case of HPAI in cattle in Wisconsin. While dairy cattle in a total of 18 states have been infected since the start of the outbreak in March 2024, APHIS has seen cases in only a small number of states this year. APHIS is working closely with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to conduct additional on-farm investigations, diagnostic testing, and epidemiological data collection to better understand the detection and prevent further disease spread.
The detection does not change USDA's HPAI eradication strategy. Biosecurity is still key to mitigating the risk of disease introduction or spread between premises. APHIS recommends enhanced biosecurity measures for all dairy farms. Producers should immediately report any livestock with clinical signs, or any unusual sick or dead wildlife, to their state veterinarian.
This detection does not pose a risk to consumer health or affect the safety of the commercial milk supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is confident that pasteurization is effective at inactivating HPAI virus, and that the commercial, pasteurized milk supply is safe. Dairies are required to send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted from the commercial milk tank or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPAI viruses circulating in birds and U.S. dairy cattle pose a low risk to the general public in the United States. However, people who have job-related or recreational exposures to infected birds or mammals are at higher risk of infection and should take appropriate precautions outlined in CDC guidance.
See also:
Bird flu detected in dairy cattle for first time in Wisconsin
By Hope Karnopp
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
December 14, 2025
Bird flu was detected in a dairy herd in Dodge County, the first such case documented among dairy cattle in Wisconsin.
4. Sixty equine herpesvirus cases confirmed in multistate outbreak
Animal health officials are monitoring the situation affecting eight states
By Christine Won and Malinda Larkin
AVMA News
December 12, 2025
An outbreak of equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1), which can cause potentially fatal equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), has animal health officials on alert.
The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) on November 20 began monitoring an outbreak of EHM associated with a Women's Professional Rodeo Association World Finals barrel-racing event held November 5-9 in Waco, Texas.
"The spread in the current outbreak was limited by rapid communications in the industry to owners and veterinarians by the EDCC," Dr. Nathaniel A. White II, EDCC director, told AVMA News. He added that EHV, commonly carried by horses, is easily spread by aerosol and contact, and can become active with stress from transport or new environments such as horse shows.
As of December 5, 60 cases of EHV-1 have been confirmed in horses from Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington, with 47 showing neurologic signs, according to the EDCC, which posts real-time alerts for a range of equine infectious diseases.
Full text: https://www.avma.org/news/60-equine-herpesvirus-cases-confirmed-multistate-outbreak
5. Five Livestock Diseases That Could Impact U.S. Food Security and Economic Stability
Prevention, detection and long-term control of these diseases are key to avoiding a $300-billion impact.
By Andrea Bedford
Bovine Veterinarian
December 11, 2025
Production animal disease outbreaks are not only animal health events but threats to economic stability and food security. A new report from The Farm Journal Foundation, The Mean Sixteen: Biosecurity Threats Facing U.S. Agriculture, estimates the collective annual costs to U.S. agriculture due to outbreaks of the top five livestock diseases could top $300 billion without proper preparation.
"It is absolutely crucial that the U.S. should support mechanisms to protect farmers from risks and make sure that our food supply chain can remain resilient even when challenges occur," wrote Stephanie Mercier, senior policy adviser at Farm Journal Foundation.
Mercier identifies five diseases with the potential to disrupt U.S. livestock production, trade and response infrastructure at scale. These include foreign animal diseases as well as ongoing threats:
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)
African swine fever (ASF)
New World screwworm (NWS)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS)