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BrownfieldAgNews reports:
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says the threat of New World Screwworm (NWS) is a top priority.
Brooke Rollins told the U.S. House Agriculture Committee Wednesday that an announcement will come next week on her agency’s next steps against the invasive fly as it continues to move through Mexico.
“That screwworm had moved from within 1100 miles of our border to 700 miles of our border within a matter of weeks.” She says, “As you know, in the 1950’s when it hit, it took 30 years for the livestock community to recover from that.”
The USDA has suspended imports of live cattle, bison, and horses from Mexico due to the threat. Representative Randy Jackson, of Texas, says cattle feeders in his state need those animals.
“I understand that the restriction on live animals was not an easy choice, and that the USDA made that to protect America’s herd health.” He says, “But, every day that imports are suspended, my constituents’ businesses are severely impacted.”
Rollins says the agency’s already put tens of millions of dollars into sterile fly production in Mexico, but she says the next steps will be, “Probably more aggressive than any one in recent history on the New World Screwworm.” She says, “I think you, and hopefully the entire committee, will be very pleased.”
Several Committee members applauded USDA for the work already done to prevent NWS from entering the United States.
New World screwworm is a deadly parasitic fly that infests warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds and complications that can lead to death.
