Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says construction and commissioning of a planned fly-breeding factory are moving too slowly to address the New World screwworm, a parasite that can threaten cattle. In comments reported on Friday, Abbott raises concern that the facility is not expected to begin breeding sterile screwworm flies for more than a year. The sterile-fly approach is intended to disrupt the pest’s life cycle and reduce the spread of the parasite’s flesh-eating larvae.
Abbott frames the effort as significant to protecting the cattle industry in the state and the broader U.S. sector. Coverage notes that the cattle industry is valued at about $113 billion in the United States, and that the screwworm remains a target for control measures.
Across the reports, the focus is on Abbott’s request to speed up the work so the factory can start producing sterile flies sooner. The sources describe the timing and purpose of the facility consistently, without presenting differing details about the proposed method or the nature of the infestation.
