The Biden administration stated on Friday that it could compensate dairy farmers for cooperating with its efforts to restrict the unfold of the hen flu virus, a part of a collection of expansive measures aimed toward containing an outbreak.

The cost system amounted to probably the most forceful actions taken to date by agriculture officers who’ve raced to maintain up with the unfold of the virus amongst dairy cows. Farm house owners have been reluctant to permit state and federal officers entry to cows and staff uncovered to or contaminated by the virus, and are frightened of the monetary penalties of contaminated herds and contaminated milk.

Beneath the so-called indemnity program, farms would obtain as much as $28,000 to guard staff and canopy prices incurred treating and testing sick cows. Producers may obtain funds for misplaced milk manufacturing on farms with confirmed hen flu instances.

Farm staff who conform to take part in government-led research may also be compensated for his or her time.

“We’re now shifting right into a part of equipping producers to scale back the chance” of wider unfold, Tom Vilsack, the agriculture secretary, stated at a information briefing on Friday, acknowledging the difficulties of reaching farmers.

This system was a part of a broader federal push introduced on Friday to extend spending on the hen flu response. The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention is planning to scale up testing capability — a blind spot early within the coronavirus pandemic — and its evaluation of hen flu vaccines, ought to they be wanted.

Xavier Becerra, the well being and human companies secretary, added that the C.D.C. would dedicate $93 million to trace the virus, together with $34 million to develop testing and $29 million for surveillance of individuals uncovered to the virus and their contacts.

The company plans to take a position $14 million to develop genetic sequencing and evaluation of virus samples remoted from contaminated animals and other people.

“We acknowledge the urgency of this example,” Mr. Becerra stated.

Nonetheless, officers continued to emphasise that the chance to people from the hen flu virus remained low. Just one particular person has been confirmed to be contaminated with the virus, often called H5N1, although the quantity would almost definitely be increased if extra dairy staff have been examined.

Greater than 250 individuals uncovered to the virus have been monitored, whereas 33 who developed flulike signs have been examined, in accordance with a spokesman for the Well being and Human Providers Division.

The scope of the hen flu outbreak in cattle stays unclear, however the variety of sick cows has regularly elevated. Greater than 40 herds have been contaminated throughout 9 states, in accordance with an Agriculture Division replace this week, together with six new herds, 4 of which have been in Michigan.

Mr. Vilsack prompt on Friday that these new optimistic checks weren’t latest, including that it was a “optimistic factor” that no new states had reported instances. However he stated that the farms with contaminated herds “are struggling, and we need to be sure we’re there to supply assist.”

The funds to farmers will fall into 5 classes.

Dairy producers will likely be reimbursed as a lot as $10,000 for veterinary prices, together with treating contaminated cows and gathering samples for testing, which might include important charges.

As a lot as $1,500 may go to farms to guard milk haulers, veterinarians and different staff who could also be uncovered to contaminated cows or contaminated milk.

Farms with contaminated herds may obtain as much as $2,000 every month if they provide protecting gear to staff and take part in a federal examine of farms and their workers.

This week, the C.D.C. requested states to supply goggles, face shields and gloves to farms and to coach farm staff on the significance of defending themselves from the virus. However within the states which have provided protecting gear for the reason that begin of the outbreak, few farms have accepted it.

The federal authorities may also pay dairy producers as much as $2,000 every month to securely get rid of milk from contaminated cows. Milk contaminated with the virus poses a threat to different animals: A few dozen cats that have been fed uncooked milk from contaminated cows died.

“This can be a good begin,” stated Dr. Meghan Davis, a veterinary epidemiologist on the Johns Hopkins College Bloomberg Faculty of Public Well being. “It ought to have occurred a month in the past.”

Dr. Davis stated that the worth of the indemnity funds would rely upon the scale of a farm and the know-how it makes use of. Devising an indemnification program for tens of hundreds of dairy producers, she stated, was extra difficult than one for the poultry business, which is dominated by massive meals corporations which have benefited from authorities funds.

“They personal their very own farms, they personal their very own cows, they make their very own choices,” Dr. Davis stated of dairy producers. “There’s much more heterogeneity.”

Most contaminated cattle contract delicate sickness — with a lack of urge for food and a low-grade fever — however might produce considerably much less milk. Mr. Vilsack stated on Friday that the Agriculture Division was trying to make obtainable funds from an current federal emergency help program to reimburse farms for decreased milk manufacturing.

The division can also be encouraging states to restrict herd motion inside their borders, as one other strategy to scale back the unfold of the virus. It has already mandated testing lactating dairy cattle touring between states and reporting optimistic instances.

Officers acknowledged that they might not compel farmers to check staff or cows extra broadly, however stated they hoped to encourage cooperation.

“We will’t essentially mandate a pattern be given, however we’re clearly keen to simply accept samples which might be voluntarily offered,” Mr. Vilsack stated.

Federal officers are assembly frequently with advocacy organizations and different teams that characterize farm staff “as a result of they’re a trusted linkage between us in public well being, us in agriculture and the employees themselves,” Dr. Nirav Shah, the C.D.C.’s principal deputy director, stated on the briefing.