USDA’s Texas Sterile Fly Facility: Progress Needed in Fight Against New World Screwworm
Courtesy of USDA/APHIS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this year its commitment to fund the construction of a sterile fly production facility in Texas, part of an ongoing effort to eradicate the new world screwworm. This initiative is a key component of the USDA’s broader plan to protect U.S. livestock from invasive pests that threaten animal health and the nation’s beef industry.
To get an update on the project’s progress, we spoke with Ethan Lane, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). According to Lane, there has been little visible progress so far on construction.
“Yeah, we haven’t heard much on the physical turning of dirt for that facility and that’s something that I think we’re continuing to point out to the administration that while we understand they have a lot of irons in the fire at the moment, we really need to make sure we’re seeing some progress and we don’t lose ground on that very important effort. You know, the secretary prioritized it over the summer, we heard quite a bit of discussion about the five-point plan and making sure that that goes into action, but we really need to start seeing shovels turn dirt to make sure that we’re getting towards those goals of having the ability here in the U.S. to defend ourselves up against this incursion when it does reach U.S. soil.”
Lane noted that while cooler fall temperatures have helped slow the northward movement of the new world screwworm, the lull is only temporary.
“You know, temperatures dropping going into the fall, we’re getting a little bit of a reprieve there, we’re seeing that progress north by the new world screwworm abate. That’s a very good thing, certainly, but it’s seasonal to some extent. It is also a result of the work that’s been done by USDA APHIS, by the Mexican authorities working in concert with them to combat this, but certainly seeing some dirt move on the U.S. side of the border on that dispersal facility that’s a quicker term delivery item, those are key factors that we’re looking for.”
As the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continues collaboration with Mexican authorities, industry leaders remain hopeful that construction on the Texas facility will begin soon—marking a crucial step in safeguarding American livestock from future new world screwworm incursions.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.