TAYLORSVILLE, Utah -- On June 1, 2026, officials with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) were notified of a sample from a dairy in Cache County that tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). As a result, UDAF is enacting mandatory weekly surveillance for HPAI in dairies in Cache County. Federal funding is available to cover the cost of this testing and there will be no additional cost to producers. In the event of a positive test, the dairy will be placed under a quarantine and no movement of lactating cattle will be permitted on or off the facility, with the exception of cows going directly to slaughter. 

In March 2024, HPAI H5N1 was first detected in dairy cattle in Texas and has spread to 19 other states including Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado Genetic sequencing confirmed that the HPAI H5N1 virus detected in 2024 in a Cache County commercial poultry facility was the same virus that had impacted dairy cattle in the area that same year. This is the first detection of the dairy strain in Utah since January 2025.

UDAF is working closely with dairy producers in the area, as well as the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and other local, state, and federal partners, on avian influenza response plans, surveillance, and biosecurity. Meetings by invitation will be hosted for industry partners & leaders on June 2nd, and for dairy producers on June 3rd.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern. At present, no major impacts to the food supply chain are anticipated. There have been no confirmed cases of HPAI in humans in Utah.

Producers should report any signs of illness in poultry or dairy cattle immediately to the State Veterinarian’s Office at statevet@utah.gov. UDAF will continue to contact affected producers directly and will post updates to https://ag.utah.gov/dairy-cattle-and-avian-influenza/. For producers outside of Cache County interested in participating in voluntary surveillance, email statevet@utah.gov. Financial resources are available for dairy producers through USDA APHIS for costs associated with HPAI testing, veterinary expenses, personal protective equipment, milk disposal, and milk losses.


Resources: 

Financial resources for dairy producers: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock/financial-assistance

Information about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit: https://ag.utah.gov/hpai/ or https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/defend-the-flock

Nationwide updates on HPAI in livestock: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock

Information on HPAI in humans: https://epi.utah.gov/bird-flu-in-humans/