U.S. officials are reporting positive developments in the fight against the New World Screw Worm. Once spotted 700 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, the pest’s northward advance appears to be slowing, thanks in part to intensive surveillance and targeted interventions.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins recently ordered the border closed to cattle originating from Mexico to prevent the parasite’s spread. Ethan Lane of NCBA attributes the slowdown to the successful deployment of 100 million sterile flies per week, targeting the screw worm population concentrated near the isthmus of Tijuana Pack.
The U.S. continues to work closely with Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture, Victor Verdegue, to ensure monitoring systems are effective and timely. Although reports beyond the isthmus are sporadic, the current containment suggests progress.
The establishment of the new sterile fly production facility in Texas, along with increased coordination between both governments, offers optimism in this ongoing effort to protect U.S. livestock herds.