MITCHELL, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) Starting Monday April 29, 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture is requiring all dairy cows to have a negative test for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (the bird flu).  Public health officials say that the milk supply is safe, despite the presence of virus fragments found in commercial milk samples, due to pasteurization.  The pasteurization process kills the virus rendering milk safe for human consumption.