The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Laboratory Network will receive $10 million in additional annual funding as part of the latest reconciliation package.
Supporters argue that the funding will enhance the country’s capacity to respond to animal disease threats. The network includes labs across the country that track diseases like New World Screwworm.
Investing in Livestock Research
A lab in Texas says the extra funding will help address regional gaps and better protect the livestock sector.
“While we hope this pest can be contained south of the border, hope, as they say, is not a strategy,” said Terry Hensley, MS DVM, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. “The USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network is, however, one vital strategy, serving as a cornerstone of the United States’ efforts to protect livestock and ensure the health and productivity of the animal agriculture sector.”
Hensley says that while he appreciates the boost in spending on the network, he notes that some areas are worse off than others and are much more reliant on federal funding.
Hurricane Season’s Impact on Screwworm
Even with increased funding for ag research, the screwworm threat isn’t over. One cattle group warns that the upcoming hurricane season could complicate things.
Michael Kelsey, Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, voiced concerns that hurricane headwinds could potentially push the flies responsible for causing the disease around to an extent that the current containment plans could not mitigate.
“The headwinds or the fronts around a hurricane, if you will, might be able to move the fly a little bit unnaturally, if you let me use that term,” Kelsey explained. “So, it’s not something that we just want to go, ‘Oh, never mind. We don’t need to worry about that.’ But I think it’s also something we just need to be real about.”
While hurricanes can dislodge flies carrying the New World screwworm, Kelsey also acknowledged that he is much more concerned about the movement of animals, people, and goods.
