Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration as the next step to prevent an infestation of the flesh-eating new world screwworm.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration as the next step to prevent an infestation of the flesh-eating new world screwworm. As part of the declaration, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is tasked with establishing a joint Texas New World Screwworm Response Team.
The department is directed to partner with the Texas Animal Health Commission in doing so. The team will be responsible for "coordination, information-sharing, and stakeholder engagement among state, federal, and industry partners."The declaration also mentions the $850 million plan to fight the screwworm in Texas. Most of that money will be spent on building a sterile male fly production facility near the border. The facility will produce 300 million sterile male flies a week to be dropped into target areas where the screwworm is now. Those male flies help to reduce the population size through mating without reproducing."Although the New World screwworm fly is not yet present in Texas or the U.S., its northward spread from Mexico toward the U.S. southern border poses a serious threat to Texas' livestock industry and wildlife," said Abbott. "State law authorizes me to act to prevent a threat of infestation that could cause severe damage to Texas property, and I will not wait for such harm to reach our livestock and wildlife. With this statewide disaster declaration, the Texas NWS Response Team can fully utilize all state government prevention and response resources to prevent the re-emergence of this destructive parasite. Texas is prepared to fully eradicate this pest if need be." The insect gets its name because it’s only found in the Americas. It lays its eggs in the open wounds of animals, and its larvae become parasites, threatening livestock, domestic animals, and even people. The screwworm was mostly eradicated in Texas and the rest of the United States in the 60s. But now, it’s moving north up from Panama and has a known presence a little over 300 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border. Most recently, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said a screwworm had been detected in a cow in González, Tamaulipas, a little more than 200 miles from the southern Texas border. According to the commissioner, the cow had no reported history of movement outside Tamaulipas, and is the third active case reported there. Miller expressed concerns that the parasite may be moving closer to Texas on its own, without the commercial movement of cattle.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott takes aim at H-1B visa holdersThe governor said he launched the investigation 'in light of recent reports of abuse.' Gov. Greg Abbott in a letter sent Tuesday said he’s launching a
Read more »
State Sen. Menendez urges Gov. Abbott to halt ICE operations in TexasSAN ANTONIO — State Sen. José Menéndez is calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to immediately halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Texas, warning that
Read more »
Texas allocates $44 million to support rural hospitals, Gov. Abbott announcesGov. Greg Abbott announced that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is offering $44 million in grant funding to eligible rural hospitals.'Tex
Read more »
Gov. Abbott urges AG Paxton to strip CAIR Texas of its nonprofit statusTexas Gov. Greg Abbott has intensified his criticism of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) by urging Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to revoke C
Read more »
Assclown Alert: Urging ICE to ‘recalibrate’ with Texas Gov. Greg AbbottAbbott's remark is a bloodless cop-out meant to distance himself from a catastrophe he's cheered on.
Read more »
Texas Gov Greg Abbott calls for CAIR to be stripped of non-profit statusFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »