Rollins Announces Additional Steps To Stop NWS

The USDA is stepping up efforts to prevent the New World screwworm from entering the country, where it could devastate the American cattle industry.  Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently to announce close to $1 billion in total new investments to stop the New World screwworm advancing northward from Mexico.

“We are announcing USDA will invest and build a domestic sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas, which is situated about 20 miles from the southern border, and complements the dispersal facility we have already begun production on.” 

Which, Rollins pointed out, is an $8.5 million project, which will take time to build, In the meantime;

“Second, we are launching up to 100 million dollars, in addition to the $750 million, to identify and deploy cutting-edge technologies that can accelerate our response while construction of the facility is underway,” the Secretary said.

NWS Would Devastate The U.S. Cattle Industry

The screwworm fly, eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, was detected about 370 miles from Texas last month.  Its flesh-eating maggots could cause billions in livestock losses and higher grocery prices if it reaches the U.S. again.  The U.S. has already closed its southern border to livestock imports.

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