SANTA TERESA, N.M. (RFD News) — USDA is expanding New World screwworm surveillance and sterile-fly capacity as cattle imports from Mexico gradually resume. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says eradication has not been achieved, making continued monitoring central to reopening additional livestock ports.
Rollins says USDA has released more than 1 billion sterile flies along the U.S.-Mexico border and is currently releasing about 100 million per week in Texas and Mexico. The sterile insect technique remains USDA’s primary eradication tool.
USDA says its Panama facility produces about 100 million flies weekly, while a renovated Metapa, Mexico, facility is ramping toward another 100 million. A South Texas production facility is designed for 300 million flies per week.
Surveillance has also expanded. Rollins reported more than 1,800 drone flights, monitoring of more than 110,000 wildlife animals, and dedicated traps along the border. She said no screwworm had been detected in monitored wildlife.
USDA continues adjusting sterile-fly dispersal and movement controls as detections change, while warning that livestock port openings remain dependent on disease risk.
