USDA Announces Sweeping Plan for New World Screwworm

The USDA has announced a sweeping readiness and response plan in light of increasing threats of New World screwworm (NWS).

- 

Combating New World Screwworm

The plan aims to enhance the USDA's ability to detect, control, and eliminate the pest.

“The United States has defeated NWS before and we will do it again,” Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in a news release. “We do not take lightly the threat NWS poses to our livestock industry, our economy, and our food supply chain. The United States government will use all resources at its disposal to push back NWS, and today’s announcement of a domestic strategy to bolster our border defenses is just the beginning. We have the proven tools, strong domestic and international partnerships, and the grit needed to win this battle.”

The plan uses a multipronged strategy aimed at controlling animal movement, creating strong surveillance systems, and utilizing proven sterilization techniques. That includes a $21 million investment to renovate an existing fruit fly production facility in Mexico, and construction of an $8.5 million sterile insect dispersal facility in south Texas.

Higher Biofuel Blending Through 2027

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on June 13 its proposed 2026/2027 rules for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).