Rollins Goes Before Lawmakers To Discuss NWS

As the threat of New World Screwworm continues to loom for our nation's cattle producers.

“That screwworm had moved from within 1100 miles of our border to 700 miles of our border within a matter of weeks," said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins before House lawmakers Wednesday.  "I'll have a major announcement next week on the very next step on putting the resources, the time and the effort into continuing to push it back.”

Recent USDA efforts to prevent NWS from entering the country include a ban on live cattle imports from Mexico as well as the renovation of a Mexican sterile fruit fly production facility to help neutralize New World Screwworm population growth.  The secretary emphasized concerns of the potential devastation an NWS outbreak would have on the U.S. beef supply.

“In the 1950s, when it hit, it took 30 years for the livestock community to recover from that," Rollins noted.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com