The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released a plan to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm this week.
The screwworm is a fly that lays eggs in the wounds of living animals. Its larvae burrow into healthy flesh and can cause illness or death.
The pest has been advancing northward from Central America and has Oklahoma's agriculture industry worried. In May, Oklahoma lawmakers and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture held a meeting to discuss the pest and what is being done to stop its spread.
Before it was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, it plagued the lives of producers and livestock. Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended live cattle, horses and bison imports along the southern border as the insect has spread to parts of Mexico.
Now, the department has released a 5-pronged plan to fight the fly. In a press release, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the federal government will use its resources to push against the new world screwworm and the newly-released strategy is the beginning.
"We have the proven tools, strong domestic and international partnerships, and the grit needed to win this battle," Rollins said.
This plan includes steps to prevent its spread in Mexico, catch and treat stray or illegally introduced livestock and spend $8.5 million to build a sterile insect dispersal facility in Texas, which is slated to be completed in six months.
In a social media post, Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, praised Rollins' effort and called it "a tremendous step in the right direction."
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