MADISON, Wis. (RFD News) — Wisconsin remains free of New World screwworm, but state officials are wasting no time preparing should the livestock pest spread north.
As one of the nation’s leading dairy producing states, Wisconsin is preparing now to help protect its livestock industry. Agriculture Secretary Randy Romanski said communication and preparedness are the state’s first priorities.
“We’re having conversations about that, we’re being vigilant, and we’re talking to other states and the USDA on a regular basis. For those who are looking for more information about New World screwworm, our website has information about it. We’ve done webinars with veterinarians, and we’ve talked to people in the industry, so communication is our first form of activity, and then we’ll have to look at how our state follows the USDA playbook, but make sure that we’ve got those boundaries in place to be preventive for events like that, and for every other day of the week, too.”
While Wisconsin continues preparing, the overwhelming majority of New World screwworm cases remain in Texas.
