Iowa Department of Agriculture Monitors Screwworm Threat to Cattle
The Iowa Department of Agriculture is closely monitoring the situation involving the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that poses a threat to cattle. This development follows the confirmation by a lab in Ames, Iowa, that the screwworm was found in a calf from Texas. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is prepared to respond if the pest begins to threaten cattle in Iowa. Texas Governor Greg Abbott highlighted the rapid spread potential of the screwworm, which can infect various animals, including deer and cattle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is constructing a facility in Texas to produce sterile flies as a method to eradicate the screwworm. Despite the threat to cattle, the Iowa Department of Agriculture assures that there is no food safety risk associated with the pest. 
