Mike Pearson tells listeners about USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins plans to fight the screwworm from entering the country.
Last week, Rollins announced a plan to fight the insect which was eradicated from the United States over 40 years ago.
However, the livestock industry has been issuing warnings about the insect. Sightings of the screwworm have moved north in Mexico.
The screwworm would impact goats, sheep and wildlife if it enters the United States border with Mexico.
New biosecurity measures were announced last week by Rollins.
In partnership with Mexico, the plan calls for doubling the number of sterile flies to 200 million a week in production at the Moore Air Force Base in South Texas.
A new facility to be built to increase production of the sterile screwworms to 300 million. Also, there will be a new housing unit for livestock built to increase biosecurity measures.
There are also new emergency plans and a stockpiling of therapeutics going into place in case of an outbreak.
In addition, new research is being conducted with land grant schools in Arizona, Mexico and Texas on the screwworm.
All eyes are on the potential for an outbreak in the days ahead.
Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness.