Brooke Rollins (Right), Secretary of Agriculture | https://www.facebook.com/photo
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced an update on the collaborative efforts between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Mexico to combat the New World Screwworm (NWS). In a recent call with Mexican Secretary Berdegue, Rollins discussed ongoing strategies to manage the NWS threat south of the U.S. border.
The USDA is actively working with Mexico to ensure effective eradication measures are in place. As part of these efforts, Rollins revealed a $21 million investment to renovate a fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico. This renovation aims to enhance sterile insect production, potentially yielding 60-100 million additional sterile NWS flies weekly, crucial for pushing the pest population further south.
"Our partnership with Mexico is crucial in making this effort a success," stated Secretary Rollins. "We are continuing to work closely with Mexico to push NWS away from the United States and out of Mexico."
Current restrictions on live animal imports from Mexico remain enforced, with evaluations occurring every 30 days.
The USDA has long utilized sterile insect technique (SIT), alongside surveillance and import controls, as part of its strategy against NWS. Presently, operations supported by the U.S. in Mexico and Central America are at full capacity, releasing up to 100 million sterile flies across 44 flights weekly from the COPEG Facility in Panama. The investment in Metapa is expected to double SIT use.
