Texas Farm Bureau commends funding, construction of domestic sterile fly production facility

The following statement may be attributed to Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening following today’s New World screwworm announcement in Austin by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“Today’s announcement from President Trump and Secretary Rollins marks a pivotal step forward in protecting Texas livestock and wildlife from the devastating threat of the New World screwworm (NWS). Texas Farm Bureau sincerely thanks them for their bold leadership and decisive action.

“The commitment to fund and construct a domestic sterile fly production facility is not just welcome news, it’s a vital investment in safeguarding our livestock, wildlife, rural communities, and the consumers who rely on a safe and stable food supply. A domestic outbreak of NWS could result in catastrophic losses, with estimates of $1.8 billion annually in Texas cattle alone and more than $10.6 billion in national economic damages.

“This threat is real and urgent, and we cannot afford delays. Immediate construction and deployment of this facility are essential to prevent irreversible harm to the agricultural economy and our nation’s food system.

“Texas Farm Bureau heard loud and clear from its members about the need for a domestic production facility and worked directly with USDA and Congressional leaders to reach this milestone. The commitment to building a facility is part of a long-term strategy to combat NWS and would not have been possible without this partnership.

“Texas Farm Bureau commends Secretary Rollins and the Trump Administration for recognizing the gravity of this issue and taking bold steps to address it. We look forward to continuing our work with them and other stakeholders to advance solutions that protect livestock and wildlife producers, consumers and the economic vitality of our state.”