In mid-June, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins launched an $8.5 million sterile New World screwworm fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in South Texas.
In addition to the facility, Rollins announced a five-pronged strategy to detect, control and eliminate the screwworm. The plan includes: stop the pest’s spread in Mexico, protect the U.S. border at all costs, maximize the U.S.’ readiness, release sterile screwworm flies and pursue more technology to treat, prevent and respond to the pest.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) applauded the measure. “Moore Air Base was previously part of our nation’s screwworm eradication effort in the 1960s and now this base will be the cornerstone of our renewed fight against this parasite,” said NCBA President Buck Wehrbein.
