One hundred and seventy-five ag groups are urging the government to quickly build a sterile fly facility.
Farm Bureaus and cattle groups are standing behind the push.
The groups thanked USDA for partnering with Panama to set up a facility as part of its five-step readiness plan. They acknowledged the department’s plan to build a facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas. However, they say much work needs to be done.
They penned a letter urging the Senate to quickly secure funding for the facility.
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Screwworm.gov has targeted resources for a wide range of stakeholders, including livestock producers, veterinarians, animal health officials, wildlife professionals, healthcare providers, pet owners, researchers, drug manufacturers, and the general public.
Expanded aerial capacity strengthens the U.S.–Mexico buffer against screwworm, providing cattle producers with stronger protection heading into winter and reducing risk to herds along the southern tier.
The facility will increase the range of sterile fly release and bolster preparedness for New World Screwworm.
Tight cattle supplies keep prices high for ranchers, but policy shifts, export barriers, and packer losses signal a volatile road ahead for the beef supply chain.
Texas Cattle Feeders Association Chairman Robby Kirkland explains how the ongoing U.S.-Mexico border closure impacts feed yards that rely on Mexican cattle due to the New World Screwworm.
The Sheinbaum–Rollins meeting signals progress, but the focus remains on fully containing screwworm before cross-border movement resumes.