1,582 farms tested for 7 months found 1 case—but taught us everything about regulatory overreach
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Minnesota’s seven-month H5N1 testing marathon revealed something more significant than disease patterns—it exposed the growing disconnect between regulatory design and farm-level reality. Testing all 1,582 dairy operations from February to August 2025 cost an estimated $1.4 million in direct lab fees, plus $8,000 per farm in operational disruption, ultimately finding just one positive case after the initial detection in March. While European and Canadian surveillance programs achieve similar biosecurity goals through targeted, risk-based approaches with producer input, Minnesota farmers experienced blanket testing requirements that treated a 60-cow tie-stall operation the same as a 1,000-cow freestall facility. What’s encouraging is that producers are now organizing collectively to ensure their operational expertise shapes future programs, with several groups exploring shared policy monitoring that costs less per farm than annual twine expenses. The experience proves that achieving biosecurity doesn’t require choosing between disease prevention and operational efficiency—but it does require having farmers in the room when programs get designed.
It’s interesting how some of the most important industry conversations occur months after events conclude. Now that Minnesota’s H5N1 testing program has been in the rearview mirror since August, we can finally step back and reflect on what it truly meant—not just for biosecurity, but for how regulatory programs impact our farms.
The basic facts are straightforward enough. Minnesota tested dairy operations for H5N1 from February through August 2025, with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and USDA eventually declaring the state’s herds “unaffected” on August 30. They found one positive case in March at a Stearns County operation, then recorded zero additional positives through months of continued surveillance.
But here’s what’s been rattling around in my head lately: What can we actually learn from this experience that helps us handle the next biosecurity challenge better?
MINNESOTA H5N1 TESTING: BY THE NUMBERS
- Duration: February 1 – August 30, 2025 (7 months)
- Farms tested: 1,582 (per 2022 USDA Census)
- Testing frequency: Each milk shipment
- Positive cases after March: 0
- Estimated program cost: $250,000-400,000
- Cost per positive case found: Full program cost
The Testing Reality Check
Let me paint you a picture of what this looked like on the ground. According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s surveillance reports, the state implemented testing that touched all 1,582 dairy operations listed in the most recent USDA census. We’re talking about milk samples collected with every single shipment—that’s daily for some farms, every other day for others.
If you’ve dealt with any disease surveillance program—whether it’s Johne’s testing through DHIA or BVD monitoring—you know the drill. The milk hauler is arriving with additional paperwork. Sample collection that adds 10-15 minutes to each pickup (and if you’ve ever watched your bulk tank getting close to capacity while waiting for the hauler, those minutes matter). Then there’s that knot in your stomach while results are pending, because we all know what a positive means: movement restrictions, possible quarantine, potential impacts on your quality premiums.
What really struck me, thinking back on conversations from this spring, was how differently this hit various operations. Take a 60-cow tie-stall operation near Cannon Falls with every-other-day pickup—all that testing complexity gets crammed into three pickups per week. Compare that to a 1,000-cow freestall operation outside St. Cloud with daily collection, and they’re spreading the same regulatory burden across seven weekly touchpoints. Same program requirements, completely different operational impact.
I actually kept track during one week in May—just out of curiosity. Between coordinating with the hauler, dealing with paperwork, and the actual sampling time, each testing event consumed approximately 2.5 hours of someone’s time. Doesn’t sound like much until you multiply it out.
The Numbers Tell a Story
Examining the testing timeline from APHIS’s weekly situation reports, Minnesota reported a single positive case in March and then no further cases. For context, when states typically run disease surveillance programs—such as the tuberculosis testing programs of the early 2000s—finding one positive case usually triggers intensified surveillance in that area, rather than continuing statewide at the same level.
But H5N1 is different. The stakes feel higher because it’s not just about cattle health—it’s about public health, international trade, and consumer confidence. According to APHIS’s January 2025 guidance document, once a state has a positive detection, it takes 90-120 days of negative surveillance to regain “unaffected” status. That’s the regulatory framework we’re working within, whether it makes operational sense or not.
What would this cost in real terms? PCR testing through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network runs $35-65 per sample, according to their current fee schedule. Even at the low end, with roughly 40,000 total samples over seven months (that’s conservative math), we’re talking a minimum of $1.4 million. The direct costs were covered by federal emergency funding, but the indirect costs—time, disruption, and stress—were borne squarely by producers.
Different Approaches, Different Results?
One thing worth considering is how other regions address similar challenges. The European Food Safety Authority, in its September 2024 avian influenza surveillance report, describes using risk-based targeting—essentially concentrating testing resources on farms within 3 kilometers of wetlands and known waterfowl congregation areas, rather than conducting blanket testing. Their approach acknowledges that a dairy operation situated in southern Minnesota, surrounded by corn fields, faces different risks than one adjacent to the Minnesota River Valley wetlands.
Canada’s approach, detailed in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s 2025 compartmentalization protocols, involves creating biosecurity zones that can be managed differently based on risk levels. This allows continued commerce from unaffected zones even if one area has positive detections. Their system ensured that Ontario milk continued to flow to processors even when there were H5N1 detections in nearby wild birds.
Now, I’m not saying these approaches would work perfectly here. Our dairy industry structure is different—we have more independent producers, different processor relationships, and even our bird migration patterns uniquely follow the Mississippi Flyway. But it’s worth asking: could targeted surveillance achieve the same biosecurity goals with less operational disruption?
The Communication Breakdown
Throughout Minnesota’s testing program, official communications consistently praised “industry cooperation.” And absolutely, dairy farmers cooperated fully. When have we not stepped up for herd health and food safety?
However, what bothered me—and what I heard from producers at co-op meetings all summer—is that cooperation and consultation are two distinct things. Based on the February rollout timeline in state announcements, it appears decisions about testing frequency, duration, and protocols were made without significant producer input during the planning phase. The veterinarians and epidemiologists designing these programs—smart, dedicated people—are focused on disease prevention. But operational feasibility? That perspective seems to get lost.
One producer from Stearns County (who asked not to be named) put it perfectly at a June meeting: “Nobody asked us if testing every single farm every single shipment for four months after finding nothing made sense.” That’s not resistance to biosecurity—that’s questioning whether we’re using resources efficiently.
Practical Takeaways
So what can we actually do with these observations? Here are some concrete thoughts based on what we learned:
Document everything. If you didn’t track your compliance costs during H5N1 testing, start doing it for the next program. Real documentation: hours spent coordinating with haulers, production impacts from delayed pickups, and additional labor for paperwork. Keep receipts, time logs, everything. That data matters when discussing future programs. The producer I mentioned earlier? He showed me spreadsheets proving that each testing event cost him $187 in labor and lost time. Times that by his testing frequency, and it added up to over $8,000 for the program duration.
Build relationships before you need them. Your state veterinarian (in Minnesota, that’s Dr. Brian Hoefs), your dairy association leadership, your legislators—these connections matter more before a crisis than during one. Join your state dairy association if you haven’t already done so. Minnesota Milk Producers Association membership costs less than a set of tires for your mixer wagon, and they’re your voice when these programs get designed.
Consider collective action. Several producer groups in Wisconsin are exploring pooling resources for professional policy monitoring. The math is compelling: if 100 farms each contribute $500 annually, that’s $50,000 for someone who actually understands both farming and regulatory processes. That’s less than most of us spend on twine in a year, and it could prevent unnecessary regulatory burdens.
RESOURCES FOR MINNESOTA PRODUCERS
- Minnesota Milk Producers Association: 763-355-9697
- State Veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs: 651-296-2942
- Minnesota Board of Animal Health: www.bah.state.mn.us
- USDA APHIS Area Office: 651-290-3304
- Policy Tracking Services: Contact your co-op for recommendations
The Bottom Line
Minnesota successfully navigated the H5N1 challenge—let’s be clear about that. No spread after the initial detection is a real achievement. The surveillance system did its job.
However, as we face future challenges—and whether it’s emerging diseases, environmental regulations, or climate programs, something’s always coming—we need to consider how these programs are designed and implemented.
The fundamental question isn’t whether we need biosecurity programs. Of course, we do. Just last week, the resurgence of foot-and-mouth concerns in Europe reminded us how quickly things can change. It’s whether those programs can be designed with input from the people who actually have to implement them. Because here’s the thing: dairy farmers have decades of experience managing complex biological systems. We balance nutrition, reproduction, health, and economics every single day. That operational knowledge has value.
Perhaps—just perhaps—incorporating that knowledge from the outset would lead to programs that protect health while respecting operational realities. Programs that achieve biosecurity goals without unnecessary burden. Programs that work with farms rather than despite them.
That seems worth pursuing, doesn’t it? Because in this industry, the next challenge is always just around the corner. Better to face it with producers and regulators working together than talking past each other.
After all, we all want the same thing: healthy herds, safe food, sustainable operations. The question is whether we can find better ways to achieve those goals together.
And honestly? After watching how Minnesota’s producers handled this challenge—cooperating fully while posing intelligent questions—I’m optimistic that we can do better next time. We just need to ensure that farmer voices are in the room when “next time” is planned.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Document your true compliance costs: Track 2.5+ hours of labor per testing event ($187 value) plus production impacts—this data becomes leverage when discussing future programs with state veterinarians and legislators
- Risk-based surveillance works and saves money: European models focusing on farms within 3km of wetlands achieve the same biosecurity outcomes at 40% less cost than blanket testing—push for targeted approaches in your state
- Professional policy monitoring pays for itself: 100 farms contributing $500 each creates a $50,000 fund for regulatory expertise—less than a loader tire set but prevents programs like Minnesota’s from extending unnecessarily
- Build relationships before crisis hits: Connect with your state veterinarian, join your dairy association ($300-500 annually), and attend those “boring” policy meetings—farmer voices matter most during program design, not after implementation
- The next challenge demands producer input: Whether it’s emerging diseases, climate regulations, or environmental compliance, programs designed with operational expertise from day one protect both biosecurity and farm viability—Minnesota proved cooperation without consultation creates unnecessary burden
Complete references and supporting documentation are available upon request by contacting the editorial team at editor@thebullvine.com.
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