USDA announces $25 million investment to expand fight against New World blowfly on the border with Mexico.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Wednesday (29) an investment of US$ 25 million for the construction of a new sterile fly dispersal unit in Douglas, Arizona.

The goal is to expand the capacity to combat the New World blowfly (NWS) and reinforce the long-term strategy to prevent the pest from advancing toward North American territory.

The announcement was made by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins during a visit to animal inspection facilities at the Douglas port of entry. The meeting included federal representatives Juan Ciscomani, Andy Biggs, and Eli Crane, as well as the director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, Paul Brierley.

According to the USDA, the future facility will complement investments already made in Texas, Mexico, and Panama, strengthening the production and dispersal of sterile flies, a technique used to reduce the pest population. The exact location and operational plan will be determined in conjunction with the Arizona government, and construction could be completed in a few months, depending on available infrastructure.

The announcement comes a week after the USDA confirmed the gradual reopening of the border for the import of live cattle from Mexico, starting at the port of Douglas on August 24. The decision is contingent on the Mexican government's compliance with the joint plan to combat the plague and the maintenance of a favorable sanitary environment.

According to the department, all imported animals will undergo a rigorous veterinary inspection protocol before entering the United States.

According to the most recent data from the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), since June 3rd, when the first outbreak of NWS was found in Texas, the country has recorded 42 outbreaks of the disease in over six decades.

Of that total, 11 were registered in July and 31 in June. To date, cases have been identified in 21 cattle, 13 sheep, 5 goats, and 3 dogs. All remain concentrated in southern Texas, with the exception of one, which was registered in southeastern New Mexico. The USDA considers 8 still active and 34 inactive.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.