Jim Wells County rancher shares memories of screwworms as new threat emerges kristv.com/news/local-news/i…

🧵 Sec. Rollins outlines @USDA’s aggressive response to New World Screwworm: USDA is rapidly expanding sterile fly production and dispersal capacity, a core pillar of the federal eradication strategy. A dispersal facility in South Texas was launched last year, and tens of millions of dollars have been invested in refitting the Metapa, Mexico facility—where sterile fly production is expected to begin coming online this month. Construction is also underway on a major new production facility in Moore, with ground broken just months ago. Once complete, it is expected to scale output into the hundreds of millions of sterile flies by mid-next year. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has prioritized the project, accelerating permitting and construction timelines, with dedicated leadership assigned to fast-track delivery. USDA is also expanding sterile fly dispersal along the U.S.–Mexico border, including the first-ever ground release of sterile screwworm flies earlier this year. In parallel, the agency has launched a $100M “New World Screwworm Grand Challenge” to accelerate private-sector innovation. More than 226 applications have been reviewed, with new solutions expected to roll out in the coming weeks. Surveillance and detection efforts have also been scaled significantly, including over 8,000 traps along the border, tens of thousands of fly samples analyzed, and extensive wildlife monitoring since last year.

Almost every US tax filer got a cut this year, coming to $82B in relief: Treasury Department trib.al/dLYEWbd

.@SecRollins on combatting the New World screwworm with the construction of a state-of-the-art sterile fly production facility, FDA treatments: We got immediate approval to begin permitting and construction on what will be the largest facility in the world on this, and that is being built right now in Texas. Instead of a couple years of permitting, our Army Corps of Engineers, our @SecWar put it at the top of the list, got it fast tracked, and we we broke ground about 3 or 4 months ago. That facility will come online next year. When it does, it’ll produce about 300 million flies per week, in addition to the 100 million from Panama, and then we outfitted an additional Mexican facility. We will get back to the point where we're able to push it back and eradicate it. But until that point, which is likely some time next year, we had FDA fast track a lot of treatment. We’ve got a national veterinary supply stockpile that was loaded onto a plane this morning, is headed to South Texas right now.

Just wrapped up a virtual meeting with ~50 of our outstanding Texas cattle ranchers and @TAHC. I also have been in contact with @GregAbbott_TX, @LtGovTX, and the @Burrows4TX team. Our food supply is 100% safe. This potential New World Screworm detection is being fully contained and is not a harm to the American food supply or consumer safety. The NWS specimen has arrived at the airport in Ames, IA and is being transferred to National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL). We will update as soon as we have confirmed test results. Unfortunately, the open-border policies of the last administration and the resulting illicit cattle movement throughout Mexico have caused NWS to potentially reach our side of the border. BUT, there is no one better than Texas and our live stock producers to have in this fight. All models showed NWS coming to the U.S. last summer/early fall — so a big thank you to our partners across the industry and local, state and the entire Trump administration for unprecedented action that gave us almost an extra year to prepare for this moment. Together with so many partners, including the Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas A&M AgriLife, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Cattle Feeders and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, we will effectively combat, contain and eventually eradicate this pest. Additional @USDA personnel have arrived in South Texas to support our partners on the ground. The National Veterinary Stockpile is ready to deploy and on its way. I now call on our producers to be vigilant and watchful. The most effective thing to do right now is to put eyes on all live stock. If you see anything suspicious, contact your state animal health official (linked on the screwworm.gov website). Texas cattle and live stock producers are the backbone of our state and our nation. We will meet this challenge head-on. Go to SCREWWORM.GOV for daily updates.

Flesh-eating screwworm detected 25 miles from US border in Mexico, USDA says reuters.com/business/healthc…