Photo courtesy of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

This past weekend, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urged Mexico to lift restrictions hindering the U.S. response to a New World Screwworm outbreak in southern Mexico. In a letter to Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragan, Rollins requested the removal of barriers from Mexico that are preventing USDA-contracted planes from conducting critical aerial operations. She said delays in these operations threaten livestock, agriculture and wildlife across North America. If issues aren’t resolved by April 30, the USDA will restrict imports of live cattle, bison and equine from Mexico.

New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly that infests warm-blooded animals. It was recently detected in Chiapas, Mexico, near Guatemala. It had been previously eradicated from the U.S. and Mexico.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has ramped up efforts in Central America to contain the pest. Aviation restrictions on Dynamic Aviation, a USDA contractor, are creating a major concern. They have been limited to operating six days a week on a temporary 60-day permit. The operation requires consistent flights seven days a week of high-volume, precision aerial releases for maximum effectiveness.

Customs duties on essential aviation equipment have also disrupted operations. Rollins requested full operational clearance, import duty waivers and the creation of a direct communication channel between governments. She also proposed a joint U.S.-Mexico NWS Aerial Dispersal Strategy Meeting to ensure coordinated efforts against the outbreak.

Read more on efforts to control the New World Screwworm outbreak here.