Tom Polansek, P.J. Huffstutter, and Leah Douglas of Reuters report that some dairy farmers are resisting state measures by shunning protective gear and leaving research money unclaimed. They write:
Some dairy farmers are resisting Michigan’s nation-leading efforts to stop the spread of bird flu for fear their incomes will suffer from added costs and hurt rural America.
The government’s restrictions, which include tracking who comes and goes from farms, are rekindling unwanted memories of COVID-19 in Martin and other small towns in central Michigan.
The state has two of the four known cases in humans, all dairy workers, since federal authorities confirmed the world’s first case in U.S. cattle in late March. The state has tested more people than any of the 12 states with confirmed cases in cows, according to a Reuters survey of state health departments. Testing policies vary by state. […]
Colorado reported the nation’s fourth human case on July 3. The U.S. government awarded $176 million to Moderna to advance development of its bird flu vaccine for humans.
Two dozen companies are working on a vaccine for cattle, U.S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, as about 140 herds nationally have tested positive.
“Michigan’s been the forefront on providing information, providing access to information that really is helpful,” Vilsack told Reuters.
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