The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s International Services program operates in Panama to help protect agriculture and trade through the Panama-U.S. Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG), a joint effort with Panama’s Ministry of Agriculture.
COPEG intends to combat the New World screwworm (NWS), a dangerous pest threatening warm-blooded animals across the Western Hemisphere, especially cattle. NWS larvae burrow into live animals, causing severe, sometimes fatal damage. To prevent NWS from reaching the U.S., COPEG uses a sterile insect technique, which has previously eradicated the pest.
Millions of sterile NWS flies are mass-reared at a secure facility in Panama, then transported to Tocumen International Airport for aerial release. These sterile males mate with wild females, reducing the population and protecting livestock, regional food security and trade.
