Federal Support for California Dairy Farms Due to Avian Flu

The federal government has provided over $230 million to California dairy farms to help compensate for losses in milk production caused by avian flu. This figure is expected to increase as more damages are reported and processed.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu has impacted about 75% of California’s 1,000 dairy farms since August 2024, leading to illness among cattle and a sharp decline in milk output.

Farmers have been able to benefit from the USDA’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish program, usually designed for those affected by wildfires, droughts, and floods. This program was broadened last year to include dairy farmers facing the ongoing bird flu crisis.

According to USDA data, there were 644 payments made to 359 California dairy farms between November 2024 and June 2025. The average payment per farm was about $645,000, with amounts ranging from $2,058 to Pereira Dairy in Visalia, up to $4.4 million for Channel Island Dairy in Corcoran.

However, experts predict that total payments will rise as additional claims are submitted. Many payments issued in May and June are accounted for in 2024, with expectations of further disbursements.

Farm Forward, a nonprofit focused on factory agriculture, obtained the relief payment data through a Freedom of Information Act request. The organization argues that these subsidies support large-scale dairy operations that contribute to the spread of avian influenza.

“These are major businesses driving the outbreak,” noted Andrew Decoriolis, executive director of Farm Forward. “Avian flu is spreading in the environment we are incentivizing.”

Anja Laudabo, CEO of the largest state trade group in the dairy industry, emphasized that the support is crucial to keeping dairy workers employed.

Jonathan Cockloft, managing partner at Channel Island Dairy, stated that his losses have surpassed the $4 million received from the government, as the payments have only partially alleviated a 30% drop in milk production.

He mentioned that the virus not only caused reproductive issues among cows but also severely affected milk production due to injuries from the disease.

“I wonder if the public truly grasps the scale of this issue; it has drastically affected reproduction rates,” he remarked.

Additionally, he observed that many animals had perished, especially during last fall when the outbreak initially occurred, resulting in losses of 10% to 15% of certain herds due to the heat combined with the virus’s impact.

Tipton dairy farmer Joey Aierso received $1.45 million in subsidies last October but estimated that his total losses could surpass $2 million. He elaborated that milk revenue does not cover additional care costs over $250,000 and does not account for the value of deceased cows, which typically cost around $3,500 each.

Jay Van Lane, a spokesperson for California’s Department of Food and Agriculture, stated that compensating for these losses is a practical approach to help producers recover without causing major disruptions in the food supply.

While USDA officials did not respond to requests for further comment, a former USDA official highlighted the need to offer relief given the discovery of the H5N1 bird flu in a few Texas flocks in March 2024.

“This is an unprecedented event, and it was clear that producers needed assistance swiftly for testing and support,” the official noted.

However, Farm Forward criticized these relief programs, arguing they perpetuate an industrial agricultural model reliant on large groups of genetically similar animals. They pointed out that the federal relief does not include requirements for disease prevention or biosecurity measures.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan, cautioned against providing funding without investigating how farms are working to counter the disease. “What measures are they implementing to prevent reinfection?” she asked.

Payments from the USDA were based on milk production losses over a four-week period. Data from Farm Forward indicates that roughly half of the farms received only one payment; however, some received multiple disbursements. For example, one farm in Tulare County reported four payments per month between November 2024 and February 2025.

Rasmussen noted that multiple payments were likely attributed to varied circumstances at different dairy farms.

Channel Islands’ Cockloft mentioned that farmers have been experiencing ongoing reinfection issues, with some going months with positive test results.

In California, farms are quarantined for 60 days following initial virus detection, with restrictions on moving animals until tests confirm that milk is virus-free for three consecutive weeks.

Van Lane stated that the average quarantine period is around 103 days, and out of California’s 1,000 herds, 940 were not quarantined, while 715 had previously experienced infections and were released.

Interestingly, even if milk tests positive for the virus, it can still be sold, as pasteurization has been proven to kill the pathogens.

The relief payments underscore the U.S. government’s role in supporting agriculture, which many view as essential to national interests. Daniel Sumner, an agricultural economist at UC Davis, remarked, “These payments are meant to assist those who need it, rather than reflect on families’ economic statuses.”