By Darren Turley
TAD Executive Director
Last year’s outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Texas disrupted milk production on some dairy farms and raised concerns about how quickly animal diseases can spread through herds. While HPAI never posed a risk to milk safety for consumers, the experience underscored for dairy farmers the need to be prepared with a plan that keeps milk moving even in the face of a serious contagious disease, such as foot-and-mouth disease.
That’s where the Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan comes in. Required by regulators during an infectious disease outbreak, an SMS Plan establishes clear biosecurity measures and operational procedures for farmers, milk haulers and processors. Its goal is to limit disease spread while ensuring milk continues to reach the market.
Although most dairies already follow the National Dairy FARM Program, FARM plans are not as comprehensive as SMS plans, which are tailored to specific species (dairy, poultry, pork, etc.) and designed for outbreak situations.
Recognizing this need, the Texas Association of Dairymen (TAD) is supporting a grant program through Texas A&M University and West Texas A&M University. This initiative pairs pre-vet graduate students with Panhandle dairy producers to help develop SMS plans. Already several such plans have been prepared as the students develop a system to streamline SMS plan development moving forward. The students meet with the dairy farmer at the dairy for about 90 minutes and then hold a video call to review the plans after their completion.
Several plans are already complete, and more are underway. I’ve attended several of the meetings between the dairy producer and the students. Producers gain valuable insights into the vulnerabilities of their operations – areas they hadn’t fully considered previously. These plans not only strengthen biosecurity but also protect business continuity.
In the event of an outbreak, the USDA and Texas Animal Health Commission will review the SMS plans. Dairies with approved plans will be allowed to move milk. Those without plans will face delays as regulators evaluate biosecurity safeguards. Before any milk and cattle are allowed to leave the farm, the regulators must be reassured regulators that disease containment and movement issues are addressed.
The recent HPAI outbreak has renewed urgency for completing SMS Plans. Thanks to the grant program, this assistance is free for Texas producers for a limited time.
I encourage every dairy operator to take advantage of this opportunity. To learn more or get started, please contact me at dturley@texasdairy.org.
