H5N1 Bird Flu Response
NCFH is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address the threat of H5N1 bird flu among animal production workers, in addition to continuing to support work on preventing and mitigating seasonal flu and COVID-19 among farmworkers nationally. NCFH has a number of existing resources that can help health departments and farmworker-serving organizations learn more about animal production workers and plan and implement their bird flu response.
Our core strategies for the response to H5N1 include:
Health Education Materials
NCFH staff develop educational materials about H5N1 in partnership with CDC staff and with animal production workers. Our materials are available in English, Spanish, and 6-8 other languages, such as Mixteco, Mam, K’iche’, Nahuatl, Afrikaans, among others. See materials about H5N1 in our Infectious Disease Hub.
Training for outreach workers and other staff of farmworker-serving organizations
Our trainings are generally open to the public and are broadcast virtually via Zoom in both English and Spanish. For upcoming trainings, visit our upcoming trainings page. For recordings of past trainings, see the H5N1 section in the archived webinars page.
We also create resources for outreach, such as our current safety guidelines on conducting outreach to dairy and poultry workers.
Support for local farmworker outreach, education, PPE, and vaccine clinics
With CDC funding, 22 organizations in 11 states are partnering with NCFH to conduct outreach and education about H5N1 to dairy workers, poultry workers, and other animal production workers. In addition, 25 organizations in a total of 26 states are providing education about seasonal influenza and COVID-19 to both crop and animal production farmworkers. If you would like to inquire about partnering with these organizations, you can contact Yvette Salinas, National Outreach Services Manager.
Map of service areas of NCFH farmworker outreach partners:
(Blue counties indicate H5N1 and seasonal influenza outreach, yellow counties indicate COVID and seasonal influenza outreach, and green counties indicate COVID, seasonal influenza, and H5N1 outreach)
Data collection & monitoring farmworkers’ experiences with H5N1
This year we are planning to conduct a national survey of dairy workers, with approximately 800 dairy workers in different communities in the U.S. We utilize mixed methods, and involve local community partners before, during, and after data collection. NCFH staff are also holding focus groups and listening sessions with animal production workers to document emerging issues around H5N1. You can download a summary of a listening session we conducted in June 2024 with six dairy workers, and the results of focus groups with 27 dairy workers that took place in Colorado, Michigan, and Texas during the summer of 2024.
H5N1 Dairy Workers Rapid Community Assessment
- Vermont Survey Results (March 2025)
- Colorado Summary Report (April 2025)
- Other Community Summary Reports Coming Soon
We welcome new partnerships and collaborations. For H5N1-related inquiries regarding collaborations, consultations, or media requests, please contact Bethany Boggess Alcauter, Director of Research and Public Health Programs.