Texas: Governor Abbott, Secretary Rollins Announce $750 Million For New World Screwworm Protection Facility
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~ In a joint press conference held today, Governor Greg Abbott and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a major investment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to combat the northward spread of the New World screwworm (NWS). The USDA will be investing $750 million in a new Domestic Sterile Screwworm Production Facility, which will be built in Edinburg, Texas.

The decision to build this facility comes after careful assessment of the situation on the ground in Mexico, where the NWS has been spreading rapidly. Governor Abbott emphasized the importance of protecting American livestock producers and maintaining the state's food and agriculture sector, which supports over 2 million jobs and has an economic impact of over $867 billion.

"We cannot risk our nation's food supply and economy due to the threat of the New World screwworm," said Governor Abbott. "That is why we are taking action by building this new facility to breed hundreds of millions of sterile screwworm flies. Together with Secretary Rollins and agricultural community leaders nationwide, we will eradicate this pest and protect our country."

Secretary Rollins echoed Governor Abbott's sentiments, stating that President Trump has made it clear that all necessary steps must be taken to protect the country from foreign pests and diseases. She emphasized that this investment is crucial for securing America's borders from this national security threat.

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The new facility will have the capacity to produce 300 million sterile screwworm flies per week, tripling the current capacity to combat the NWS threat. Currently, all operational outbreak needs are met by flies from Panama as there is no domestic sterile screwworm production in the United States.

Joining Governor Abbott and Secretary Rollins at the press conference were Congressman Tony Gonzales, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller, Senator Charles Perry, Representative Brad Buckley, Representative Briscoe Cain, Representative Ryan Guillen, Representative Stan Kitzman, Representative Helen Kerwin, Representative Brent Money, and Texas A&M University Chancellor Glenn Hegar, along with other local, state, and national agricultural leaders.

This announcement comes after Governor Abbott directed the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to establish a joint Texas New World Screwworm Response Team in June. The team will work closely with USDA and Customs and Border Protection to monitor ports of entry and prevent the NWS from entering the country.

The press conference concluded with Governor Abbott and Secretary Rollins urging all Americans to support this effort in protecting the nation's food supply and economy. The construction of this new facility is a crucial step in ensuring that American ranchers are not overrun by foreign pests, which could have devastating effects on the country's ability to feed itself.

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