On August 13, 2024, the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released a program for testing dairy cows for H5N1 influenza A with an implementation deadline of August 1, 2025.

The purpose of the program is to test cows for H5N1 influenza A under the United States National Residue Program. The program will allow USDA to test asymptomatic cows for the presence of H5N1 and to understand the presence of the virus in those animals. The plan calls for muscle samples to be taken from cows. Businesses should keep cow carcasses until all results are reported. If a sample test violates the National Residue Program, FSIS shall enforce Directive 10800.1, Procedures for Sampling, Testing, and Verification of Residue in Meat and Poultry Products. For H5N1 positive samples, FSIS will retain the cow carcass and provide instructions on how to handle the carcass.