U.S. Government Takes Action Against New World Screwworms with New Facility in Texas
The U.S. is investing $21 million to combat New World screwworms by breeding sterile flies in Texas, addressing a growing agricultural threat.
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Overview
- The U.S. government is implementing measures to combat New World screwworms, a significant agricultural threat.
- An $8.5 million facility will be built at Moore Air Base in Texas to breed sterile screwworm flies.
- The USDA is converting an existing fruit fly facility to breed millions of sterile New World screwworm flies.
- Screwworms have been detected up to 700 miles from the U.S. border, prompting urgent action.
- The initiative aims to protect livestock and agriculture from the damaging effects of these pests.
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FAQ
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into the flesh of living animals, causing serious, often deadly damage. It threatens livestock, wildlife, pets, and can affect the U.S. food supply and economy by harming cattle and other animals.
The U.S. government is investing $21 million, including building an $8.5 million sterile screwworm fly breeding facility at Moore Air Base in Texas. This facility will produce sterile male flies to release into the wild, mating with females to prevent larvae development. A five-pronged policy initiative further enhances detection, control, and elimination efforts.
Live cattle, horses, and bison imports from Mexico were suspended due to recent detections of New World screwworms as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz in Mexico, about 700 miles from the U.S. border. The suspension aims to prevent the pest's northward spread and protect U.S. livestock and food supply.
The New World screwworm was eradicated from the United States in the 1960s through successful control programs involving sterile insect technique and other measures.
States with warm climates and abundant animal populations, such as Florida and Texas, are most vulnerable to the New World screwworm threat due to favorable conditions for the pest and the prevalence of livestock and wildlife hosts.
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