By Scout Nelson
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to establish a New World screwworm (NWS) sterile fly production facility in southern Texas. The facility will be located at Moore Air Base and is expected to be completed within the year.
“USDA immediately will begin work on a New World screwworm (NWS) sterile fly facility at Moore Air Base in southern Texas,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
Currently, only one facility in the world produces sterile screwworm flies. It is in Panama and can produce up to 117 million flies each week. However, more than 300 million sterile flies are needed weekly to effectively form a protective barrier along the U.S. southern border.
Moore Air Base is a strategic location for this new project. The site has a history of military use during World War II and later served as a screwworm eradication center in the 1960s. Its location close to the U.S.-Mexico border allows for quick deployment of sterile flies to high-risk regions.
The USDA is also working on upgrading a fruit fly facility in Mexico to produce sterile NWS flies. While this will aid efforts in Mexico, additional production capacity within the U.S. is essential for the long-term protection of the national cattle herd.
This new facility will play a vital role in enhancing biosecurity and protecting U.S. livestock industries from the threats posed by screwworms.
Photo Credit:kansas-livestock-foundation
Categories: Kansas, Livestock