USDA expands effort to protect livestock industry from NWS

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins on Aug. 15 at the Texas State Capitol alongside Gov. Greg Abbott and stakeholders from across the country announced the largest initiative yet in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to combat the New World screwworm.

The announcement builds upon USDA’s five-pronged plan issued in June to combat the northward spread of NWS from Mexico into the United States.

NWS is a devastating pest, the USDA said. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, people. It is a threat to the ranchers, the food supply and national security.

The pest threatens more than $100 billion in U.S. economic activity tied to the cattle and livestock industry alone, the USDA said.

While USDA is coordinating efforts to combat NWS, it will require continued collaboration between federal agencies, state governments and the private sector. That is why USDA is working alongside the Food and Drug Administration to encourage animal drug development and prioritize approvals for prevention and treatment of the pest, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy on new innovations to enhance the ability to combat the pest with technologies, and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to protect the Southern Border. The U.S. government will also work alongside governors, state agriculture commissioners, state veterinarians, and others to combat this pest.

As part of this comprehensive approach, USDA is taking the following immediate actions:

1.) Innovate our way to eradication

While sterile flies are currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of NWS, technology continues to evolve and as such USDA will provide up to $100 million to invest in viable innovations which could show rapid advancement of promising technologies that will augment the U.S. facility and accelerate the pace of sterile fly production, if proven successful. USDA will support proven concepts that only require funding to scale and implement as well as a number of longer-term research projects focused on: new sterile NWS production techniques, novel NWS traps and lures, NWS therapeutics that could be stockpiled and used should NWS reach the U.S., and any other tools to bolster preparedness or response to NWS.

2.) Protect the border – Construction of a domestic sterile screwworm production facility

USDA will construct a sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas, at Moore Air Force Base, an ideal location due to the existing infrastructure and proximity to the United States-Mexico border. Built with the Army Corps of Engineers, the facility will produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week to combat NWS. This will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture. 

3.) Wildlife migration prevention

Animals don’t know borders, and that leaves the U.S potentially vulnerable to NWS from wildlife migrating across the border. USDA is working aggressively to ramp up the hiring of USDA-employed mounted patrol officers, known as “Tick Riders,” and other staff who will focus on border surveillance. The Tick Riders, who are mounted on horseback, will be complemented by other animal health experts who will patrol the border in vehicles and will provide the first line of defense against an NWS outbreak along the United States-Mexico border.

USDA will also begin training detector dogs to detect screwworm infestations in livestock and other animals along our border and at various ports of entry. These dogs will be essential to help control the spread of the NWS. USDA is working closely with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S Customs and Border Protection to monitor the border for NWS-infected wildlife that could pose a threat to the U.S.

4.) Stop the pest from spreading in Mexico and ensure we are full partners in eradication

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is working in collaboration with the National Service of Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality in Mexico to help them contain the pest south of the U.S. border by enhancing oversight, surveillance, improving case reporting, locking down animal movement to prevent further spread, providing traps, lures, training, and verification of Mexican NWS activities. Successful implementation will inform any future trade decisions impacting cattle movements on the southern border including the potential reopening of border areas.

“We have assessed the information on the ground in Mexico and have determined we must construct an additional sterile fly production facility in the United States to stop the northward advancement of this terrible pest that is threatening American cattle production,” Rollins said. “President Trump has made it clear that we must take all necessary steps to protect our country from foreign pests and diseases that threaten our economy and way of life. Today we are announcing a major investment to further America’s existential role in protecting our country and secure our borders from this national security threat.”

“Texas agricultural producers feed the world, with our state’s food and agriculture sector supporting over 2 million well-paying jobs and creating over $867 billion in total economic impact,” Abbott said. “All of this is at risk because of the New World screwworm. Working with Secretary Rollins and members of the agricultural community nationwide, we will combat the threat from the New World screwworm right here in Texas through the building of a new facility to breed hundreds of millions of sterile New World screwworm flies. Together, we will eradicate the threat from the New World screwworm to protect our nation’s food supply and economy.”

Prominent ag group leaders said the action was necessary.

“American cattle producers are thankful for Secretary Brooke Rollins’ leadership and diligence in combatting the spread of New World screwworm,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall. “This deadly pest has negatively impacted the cattle industry before, but with swift action from Secretary Rollins, we are on our way to stopping it again. USDA’s work in building a sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base will greatly help to stop the spread of screwworm and protect the American cattle herd for years to come.”

“It took decades to eradicate this parasite from within and adjacent to our borders more than a generation ago, and this is a proactive first step,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Cattle markets are already volatile and the introduction of New World screwworm within the U.S. would only increase that volatility.”

“National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is grateful for USDA’s investment in defending the U.S. against an outbreak of New World screwworm,” said National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Ted McKinney. “NASDA is always committed to working with intergovernmental agencies and industry stakeholders to foster a collaborative approach to animal health initiatives.”

Ag officials in High Plains states as far north as Nebraska applauded the action.

“As a livestock veterinarian by trade, I understand the risk posed to our food system by foreign animal diseases,” said Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. “As a livestock producer and governor of America’s leading beef producing state, I know that food security is national security.”

“This announcement doubles-down on the USDA’s efforts to help feed American families,” said Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. “Oklahoma’s ranchers and producers help feed the world and this action-first effort is a step in the right direction to keep the industry moving forward both in Oklahoma and nationwide.”