Latest news with #STOPScrewworms
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NM delegation reacts to screwworm outbreak
A slide of a fly laying eggs in an animal wound. (Courtesy Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library). Members of New Mexico's federal delegation on Thursday responded to growing concerns about the spread of the New World Screwworm, a parasitic fly that can damage livestock and other animals. United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on May 11 announced the immediate suspension of live cattle, horse and bison imports through United States ports of entry along the southern border 'due to the continued and rapid northward spread' of NWS in Mexico. According to the USDA, NWS 'has been recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle movement as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border.' U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, announced on Thursday bipartisan legislation, also sponsored by fellow New Mexico Democrat U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, aimed at curbing the outbreak. The Strengthening Tactics to Obstruct the Population of Screwworms (STOP Screwworms) Act, introduced by Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, would pay for and direct the USDA to start construction on a new sterile fly production facility. 'Given the current screwworm outbreak, Congress must take immediate action to help protect New Mexico's cattle and livestock from this growing threat,' Luján said in a statement. 'This bipartisan legislation will fund a new sterile fly facility to help stop the spread of the destructive New World screwworm and protect New Mexico's 1.4 million cattle and calves. This is a critical investment that supports over 10,000 cattle farms and ranches in New Mexico, saves the U.S. livestock industry nearly $1 billion each year, and helps prevent an outbreak in the U.S.' U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) who represents the state's 2nd congressional district that includes the border communities, wrote to USDA Secretary Rollins in March expressing concerns about the mounting NWS threat, and is a co-sponsor of the new legislation in his chamber. 'I've been raising the alarm about the New World Screwworm threat because I know what it means for our ranchers, ports, and rural economies,' Vasquez said in a statement this week. 'That's why I introduced this bipartisan bill to fight this outbreak and protect our livestock industry. I was one of the first lawmakers to urge the USDA to take this seriously. Livestock auctions in New Mexico are already feeling the squeeze, and ranchers who depend on cross-border cattle trade are being left in limbo. USDA must be transparent about the timeline for reopening ports of entry, and they need to address the staffing and operational issues that are slowing things down. Our border economies can't wait.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Parasitic fly puts halt to cattle imports; U.S. legislators back domestic sterilization facility
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A cattle ban placed on the southern border has prompted dozens of U.S. representatives to introduce a bill that would prevent a similar suspension from happening again. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced May 11 the suspension of cattle, horse and bison imports due to the northward spread of the new world screwworm (NWS) in Mexico. According to the USDA, the NWS is a parasitic fly that burrows into the flesh of a living animal that can cause deadly damage. These pests can infect livestock, wildlife, pets and in rare cases, people. The infestation has been confirmed in Oaxaca and Veracruz, around 700 miles south of the U.S. border. In response to the outbreak, a number of legislators introduced a bipartisan bill on May 14 to combat the parasite and protect domestic livestock. According to a news release sent by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales' (TX-23) office, the bill Strengthening Tactics to Obstruct the Population of Screwworms (STOP Screwworms) Act would authorize funds for the USDA to begin construction on a sterile fly production facility. According to the bill text, the U.S.-based facility would produce sterile screwworm flies that would be released into infested areas to help combat the growth of the screwworm population. 'It's important that Texans stop relying on other people to do our work. That's where I think it's important that we get this facility built in Texas that sterilizes these flies, that prevents them from spreading of this parasite that would wipe out our industry,' said Gonzalez. 'This bipartisan legislation will fund a new sterile fly facility to help stop the spread of the destructive New World screwworm and protect New Mexico's 1.4 million cattle and calves. This is a critical investment that supports over 10,000 cattle farms and ranches in New Mexico, saves the U.S. livestock industry nearly $1 billion each year, and helps prevent an outbreak in the U.S,' said Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM). The construction would be a costly feat, Gonzales estimating the price tag to be in the multi-million-dollar range. 'It's not a drop in the bucket. It would be hundreds of millions of dollars. This is why it's so important that the administration and Secretary Rollins has led on this understanding the importance of how to tackle it. It would cost billions to rebuild our beef industry if screwworms were to hit. This is where I think it's a drop in the bucket compared to what could happen,' said Gonzales. The trade of livestock itself is a multi-billion-dollar industry, something the New Mexico Border Authority says will suffer millions of dollars in losses over this suspension period. 'This is the second halt on cattle from Mexico, a suspension that will result in millions of dollars being lost… From the Chihuahuan cattle it's going to represent around almost $100 million on these days,' said NMBA Executive Director Gerardo Fierro. Fierro said impacts on trade go beyond the beef industry, that the White House's policies impact communities on both sides of the border. 'Through Santa Teresa, the total trade value for cattle last year was almost $1 billion just on the value of the animals that are crossing through Santa Teresa… but it goes far beyond like, for example, Columbus Palomas, which is Columbus, New Mexico and Paloma, Chihuahua. They never reopened that port because of the new administration and all the changes with the employees,' said Fierro. Fierro said this resulted in staff across different industries like hotels, restaurants, and ranchers losing income. 'You see it on those smaller communities where cattle imports and exports represent most of their incomes… smaller towns like Columbus, Palomas, where they depend on that industry, it's harsh to see those folks suffer,' said Fierro. 'It's frustrating from the trade community but it's also stressful to the northern states of Mexico because they don't have the problem though they're paying the price because only the northern states of Mexico are the ones that are allowed to export cattle into the United States,' said Fierro. Fierro said USDA has received the green light to hire around 17 technicians to help with inspections once the halt is lifted which will help in expediting the process and cover the time loss during the suspension. The halt on Mexican cattle imports is just the latest obstacle the cattle and livestock industry has faced, with prices increasing due to tariffs and an ongoing drought that has impacted cattle inventory. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas delegation proposes new facility to combat screwworm resurgence
WASHINGTON (KMID/KPEJ)- Texas lawmakers are pushing forward with new legislation aimed at stopping the return of a devastating livestock pest that once threatened the nation's cattle industry. On Wednesday, U.S. Senators John Cornyn, Ted Cruz, and Ben Ray Luján, along with Congressman Tony Gonzales, introduced the Strengthening Tactics to Obstruct the Population of Screwworms (STOP Screwworms) Act. The bill would authorize funding for the construction of a new sterile fly production facility in the U.S. to combat the resurgence of the New World screwworm (NWS), a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of livestock, wildlife, and in rare cases, humans. The legislation comes amid growing concern over NWS outbreaks in Mexico and the USDA's recent decision to suspend imports of live cattle, horses, and bison through the southern border. 'Combatting the destructive New World screwworm is vital to protecting our cattle, Texas producers, and the American livestock industry as a whole,' said Sen. Cornyn. 'This facility will push these pests away from our border and provide needed resources to our farmers and ranchers.' The sterile fly method, which involves releasing sterile male flies into the environment to outcompete wild populations, was instrumental in eradicating NWS from the United States in the 1960s and from Mexico in the 1990s. Supporters of the bill say bringing that approach back is essential to prevent economic disaster for the U.S. cattle industry. In a statement, Rep. Gonzales said producers across America are 'sounding the alarm.' 'We need to fully eradicate this pest before it's too late,' Gonzales said. 'The STOP Screwworms Act provides dedicated resources to do just that. By authorizing the construction of a new sterile fly facility in the United States, we reduce our dependence on Latin American partners for eradication efforts and take matters into our own hands.' The bill has bipartisan support and is also backed by major agricultural organizations, including the Texas Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau Federation, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and the South Texans' Property Rights Association. In a written statement, Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening praised the legislation and called for its swift passage. 'It's critical to be proactive and provide resources for swift response, including the immediate construction of a sterile fly facility,' Boening said. 'The NWS is a devastating pest that could cripple the U.S. livestock industry and cause significant losses to livestock and wildlife. We ask leaders in Washington to take this animal health threat seriously and immediately pass this legislation to protect our country.' Additional cosponsors include Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
