The Center for Dairy Excellence will host Pennsylvania Agriculture HPAI Monthly Conference Calls on the first or second Wednesday of every month at 1 p.m. EST to share updates on the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation in dairy cattle to help answer your questions about this rapidly evolving health situation and Pennsylvania’s response. Recordings of any calls related to the topic will be posted here so you can listen to them on your computer or play them back on your phone. See how you can connect to the calls each week.
Note: In this rapidly changing health situation, good biosecurity remains one of the best tools for protecting your herd from a variety of diseases, including this newly emerging illness. Click here to request an Everyday Biosecurity Kit while supplies last. The USDA has confirmed that there is no threat to human health and milk. Dairy products remain safe to consume.
For future industry calls, consider signing up for text alert reminders. We’ll text you a reminder the morning of the conference call and include the dial-in details. Text “Sign up” to 717-585-0766. To receive email reminders, sign up at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/newsletter.
Dairy Industry Conference Call Recordings:
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #1 (April 3, 2024) – During the Center’s first conference call, Dr. Alex Hamberg, our State Veterinarian, and Dr. Hayley Springer of Penn State Extension provided updates on the situation and what it means for PA dairy farmers and service professionals. Click here to listen to the recording. You can also read a summary of the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #2 (April 10, 2024) – During this conference call, Dr. Erin Luley, our Assistant State Veterinarian, Kyle Van Why, and Dr. Hayley Springer provided updates on the situation, including the PA international and interstate quarantine order, bird mitigation resources, and updates on biosecurity efforts. Click here to listen to the recording. You can also read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #3 (April 17, 2024) — During this conference call, Dr. Alex Hamberg, our State Veterinarian, and Dr. Hayley Springer of Penn State Extension provided updates on Pennsylvania’s response to the HPAI situation and what is most important for dairy producers to know. Click here to listen to the recording. *Unfortunately, due to technological issues, the first 20 minutes of this recording are cut off. That portion was a recap by Dr. Hamberg of what Dr. Luley covered in the April 10 recording. You can also read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #4 (May 1, 2024) — Dr. Alex Hamberg, Pennsylvania State Veterinarian, Dr. Ernest Hovingh, Resident Director of the Penn State Diagnostic Laboratory, and Jeff Warner, Director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services, provided a review of the new Federal Order guidance and how Pennsylvania will be working to comply with the order, how the pre-testing will work, and what guidance is available for raw milk producers. Click here to listen to the recording. You can also read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #5 (May 8, 2024) — Dr. Hamberg and Dr. Hovingh provided additional clarity around Federal Order. Dr. Hovingh also talked through what is needed when submitting samples. Dr. Hamberg reviewed the technical notes USDA provided regarding the Federal Order that went into effect on April 29. Listen to recording here. You can also read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #6 (May 15, 2024) — Dr. Erin Luley and Dr. Ernest Hovingh shared an overview of the updated Pennsylvania Quarantine Order and discussed the PPE assistance being made available by USDA. They also reviewed the timeline for testing and what biosecurity protocols farms should have in place. Listen to recording here. You can also view Dr. Luley’s slides here and read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #7 (May 22, 2024) — Dr. Alex Hamberg, Pennsylvania State Veterinarian, Dr. Michael Kornreich, USDA Area Veterinarian in Charge (AIC) who oversees Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Dr. Ernest Hovingh, Resident Director of the Penn State Diagnostic Laboratory, and Nicholas Jennings, with animal disease traceability within the Bureau of Animal Health, provided important updates regarding HPAI in Dairy and the new rule around electronic identification of cattle. Listen to recording here. You can also view Nick Jennings’ slides here and read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #8 (June 12, 2024) — Dr. Alex Hamberg, Pennsylvania State Veterinarian, and Dr. Ernest Hovingh, Resident Director of the Penn State Diagnostic Laboratory, provided important updates regarding HPAI in Dairy, what would happen if there was a confirmed case of HPAI in Dairy in Pennsylvania, a new surveillance program available to farmers, what is included in the show quarantine order, and how the testing process is going. They also provided a couple highlights regarding the USDA assistance available and what the Department of Health is discussing regarding PPE on dairy farms. Listen to the recording here or read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #9 (July 10, 2024) — Our panelists shared important updates about the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affecting dairy cattle in the United States, the PA Dept. of Agriculture (PDA)’s surveillance and monitoring program, USDA assistance, and the most recent announcement that PDA is encouraging dairies to submit biosecurity plans for review. Listen to the recording here or read a summary about the call here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #10 (August 7, 2024) — Our panelists shared important updates about the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) affecting dairy cattle in the United States, the PA Dept. of Agriculture (PDA)’s surveillance and monitoring program, USDA assistance, and other important updates. Listen to the recording here or read a call summary here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #11 (September 18, 2024) — Nathan Brearley from Portland, MI milks 500 cows and described how HPAI hit his herd fast, with many cows experiencing elevated temperatures and continuing to have lasting effects to this day. Rod Hissong from Mercer Vu Farms in Chambersburg, PA, shared his farm’s experience participating in PDA’s bulk tank surveillance program and how it has been easier than testing individual cows. Michelle Koch with Koch Turkey Farms spoke to their experience as an end-user, having to depopulate 57,000 head in 2023 and losing roughly 7 million dollars. Stacylyn Himmel, Cattle Buyer for Cargill’s Wyalusing, PA plant, recounted Cargill’s experience when HPAI was initially detected in Texas. Listen to the recording here or read a call summary here.
- Dairy Industry Conference Call #12 (October 9, 2024) — Panelists from the PA Dept. of Agriculture and Dept. of Health shared updates on the health situation, Pennsylvania’s response, and the importance of remaining proactive. Within the last 30 days, 96 new herds tested positive for HPAI in California and Idaho. Since March 2024 when the first case was reported, one third of the positive cases have occurred in the past 30 days. Even with no positive cases, Massachusetts has mandated bulk tank testing on all farms. While there are currently no positive HPAI cases in Pennsylvania, dairy and poultry farms are densely populated throughout the state, and the disease could spread rapidly. Listen to the recording here or read a call summary here.
- PA Agriculture HPAI Monthly Call #13 (November 13, 2024) — Panelists from the PA Dept. of Agriculture, PA Dept. of Health, and Penn State Extension shared updates on the spread of HPAI, surveillance measures, USDA monitoring related to HPAI, PPE equipment availability, and important biosecurity protocols to prevent the spread of HPAI. The Center for Dairy Excellence and Penn Ag Industries Association are now hosting these joint monthly calls for farmers and industry stakeholders across all animal agriculture in Pennsylvania. Since February 2024, the number of affected dairy herds has reached 492 with 278 farms in CA alone. Poultry farms are now experiencing an ongoing double-threat risk from wild bird and dairy cattle introduction. Listen to the recording here or read a call summary here.
- PA Agriculture HPAI Monthly Call #14 (December 4, 2024) — Panelists from the Department of Agriculture and other state/federal organizations answered real-time questions from dairy and poultry stakeholders about the recent Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s action of mandatory milk testing at the processor level. The Center for Dairy Excellence and Penn Ag Industries Association will host these joint monthly calls for farmers and industry stakeholders across all animal agriculture in Pennsylvania. Listen to the recording here or read a call summary here.
- PA Agriculture HPAI Monthly Call #15 (January 15, 2025) — Panelists from the Department of Agriculture and other state/federal organizations answered real-time questions from dairy and poultry stakeholders about Pennsylvania’s continued response to HPAl. Listen to the call recording here or read a call summary here.