Written by Rachel Thompson.

Cattle ranchers and dairy farmers across the United States are standing firm against the World Health Organization’s (WHO) strict pandemic protocols, refusing to let inspectors onto their farms or to test their animals for bird flu. While the WHO insists on implementing these measures, the farmers remain unconvinced, questioning the necessity and scientific basis of such testing.

The last we heard of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly referred to as “bird flu,” it was causing nothing more than mild symptoms in infected cattle, such as pink eye in a few Colorado poultry workers. Despite the lack of serious symptoms and no evidence that humans can contract the disease except through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected animals, the WHO continues to push for more testing.

The organization’s efforts to enforce stringent testing protocols across the United States have been met with skepticism, particularly among farmers and livestock industry experts who are wary of the economic consequences that could follow a positive test. Their concerns are valid, given that a positive test could lead to restrictions on selling milk or cattle, devastating small farms that are already operating on thin margins.

Questioning the WHO’s Motives

In an effort to understand whether the spread of bird flu in dairy cattle is truly being tracked, Reuters interviewed over a dozen researchers, veterinarians, farmers, and livestock industry representatives. What they discovered was that state animal and human health experts across three states are beginning to suspect that the official numbers may be underreported. This underreporting is likely due to farmers’ fear of the economic impact a positive test could bring, which could leave them unable to sell their milk or cattle for weeks on end.

Joe Armstrong, a veterinarian and cattle expert at the University of Minnesota, has been in contact with farmers across the state who are concerned about the virus’s potential to reduce milk production in cattle. Armstrong acknowledges that while there are only nine officially confirmed cases, the actual number of affected farms could be significantly higher. Many farms, it seems, prefer to avoid testing altogether, fearful of the consequences.

The United States, the world’s second-largest cheese producer after Europe, is the only country known to have confirmed cases of bird flu in cows. With such a significant industry at stake, the reluctance of farmers to comply with WHO testing demands is understandable. The question that looms large, however, is whether these testing protocols are truly necessary or if they serve a broader agenda.

Public Skepticism Grows

Legal Insurrection reports that the American public has become increasingly skeptical of health mandates, particularly after enduring prolonged lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. With people no longer rushing to get tested for COVID-19 at the first sign of a sniffle, public health officials have had to resort to more unconventional methods, such as sampling sewage, to monitor the spread of infectious diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has turned to wastewater surveillance as a tool to gauge the presence of diseases like COVID-19 and even monkeypox (mpox). In San Francisco, for instance, mpox was detected in wastewater samples as recently as this summer. This reliance on sewage sampling highlights a growing challenge: as people and municipalities become less reliable sources of data, public health officials are scrambling to find new ways to track the spread of diseases.

The WHO’s expanded pandemic watchlist, which now includes pathogens like bird flu, Zika, and even the Black Death plague, seems to reflect a growing sense of urgency among global health authorities. But for many Americans, this expansion raises questions about the motives behind it. Are these measures truly about protecting public health, or is there a more insidious agenda at play?

Our Take

The resistance of cattle ranchers and dairy farmers to WHO’s bird flu testing demands is emblematic of a broader skepticism toward global health authorities. While it’s crucial to monitor potential pandemic threats, the methods and motives behind such measures must be scrutinized. The push for testing in the face of minimal symptoms and unclear transmission risks seems more about control than public safety. This kind of overreach, if left unchecked, could set a dangerous precedent, giving global organizations too much power over local industries and communities.

It’s time for a balanced approach—one that respects both public health and the livelihoods of those who keep our food supply running. Testing should be based on clear evidence and real risks, not fearmongering or bureaucratic overreach. As we’ve seen with COVID-19, public trust is fragile, and heavy-handed measures only serve to erode it further.