News

New World Screwworm education efforts on the rise

The director of commodity programs and food systems with the Illinois Farm Bureau says educational efforts around the threat of New World Screwworm are ramping up.

Tasha Bunting says even though the pest isn’t likely to overwinter in the Midwest, producers should still be prepared.

“The thought is that we would probably not see the impact directly here with the actual worm, and the fly, and the larvae, unless it comes in on an animal that already has it established where it’s picked it up from interaction with those other areas,” she says.

She tells Brownfield livestock producers aren’t the only ones that should be aware of the situation.  

“There’s even a lot of education and information being shared with our friends that only have companion animals that are maybe traveling back and forth into areas where they might have picked up some of that New World screwworm larvae,” she says.

Bunting says efforts are underway to make sure all veterinarians are educated on signs of the pest. 

The latest USDA confirmed detection of NWS was 90 miles from the Mexico-U.S. border.  Live cattle imports from Mexico remained suspended due to the threat.

AUDIO: Tasha Bunting – Illinois Farm Bureau