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governor of texas Greg Abbott He issued a statewide disaster declaration Thursday to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm fly to the Lone Star State as he seeks to better protect livestock and wildlife.
The Governor’s declaration allows the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team to use all of the state’s prevention and response resources to prevent the spread of the parasite into Texas.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm fly to the Lone Star State. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“Although the New World screwworm has not yet appeared in Texas or the United States, it spreads north from Mexico to the U.S. southern border, posing a serious threat to Texas livestock and wildlife,” Abbott said in a statement.
He continued: “State law authorizes me to take action to prevent the threat of infection that could cause serious damage to Texas property, and I will not wait for this harm to befall our livestock and wildlife.”
In declaring a statewide disaster, the governor said the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team “can leverage all of the state’s prevention and response resources to prevent the re-emergence of this devastating parasite.”
New World screwworm flies are spreading north from Mexico to the U.S. border (Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Texas officials The governor said he is prepared to eradicate the pest completely if necessary.
Abbott has taken preemptive action against the New World Screwworm threat, directing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to establish the Texas New World Screwworm Joint Response Team.
The governor also highlighted a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a new $750 million domestic sterile production facility for New World screwworm near Edinburg, Texas.
The governor highlighted a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a new $750 million domestic sterile production facility for New World screwworm near Edinburg, Texas. (David Acker/Getty Images)
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The Agriculture Department said in August that the New World screwworm was a “devastating pest.”
“When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of live animals, they can cause serious, often fatal, injuries to the animals. NWS can infect livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, humans. This poses a threat not only to our ranching communities, but also to our food supply and national security,” the department said at the time.
