NCBA Backs All‑Male Fly to Fight Screw Worms

With the New World screwworm detected within miles of the US. Border prevention efforts are wrapping up a new proposal, moving from the USDA Agricultural Research Service to the Environmental Protection Agency, would register a product to boost production of sterile male flies used for control. National Cattleman's Association Senior Director of Government Affairs, Sigrid Johannes-

“That product is actually a modified fly. It allows any facility that's producing those sterile insects to produce all male flies. And that is huge for us, because right now at copeg, the place in Panama that's churning these guys out. Half are female and half are male, and the males are the only ones that are actually performing for us, that are actually useful for this technique in the environment. So being able to make all male flies, and not 5050, would kind of quickly pretty, pretty, you know, immediately, in a sense, increase the effectiveness of the supply of flies we've already got, as well as improving our prospects for any future fly plants, like the one in more or in Texas or the one in matapa, Mexico that are potentially coming online in the coming weeks and months.”

The public comment period for this exemption request and application for a new active ingredient ended on April 27, and Johannes said the NCBA provided comments in support of the new active ingredient product.