USDA and North Carolina State University Introduce Genetically Engineered Screwworm to Combat Pest Outbreaks in Texas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and North Carolina State University have developed a genetically engineered, male-only strain of New World screwworm, known as NovoFly, to be incorporated into a sterile insect program at a new Texas facility. This initiative follows the resurgence of New World screwworm cases in Texas and New Mexico, with over 40 cases reported in cattle, dogs, and other animals by late July. The USDA has appointed John Bellinger as a senior advisor for New World Screwworm Preparedness to support these efforts. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted emergency authorization and proposed commercial approval for NovoFly, which aims to enhance the sterile insect technique by releasing sterile males to collapse the pest population. This method, historically successful in eradicating screwworm in the U.S. by 1966, is now being bolstered by genetic engineering to improve efficiency and reduce reliance on chemical insecticides. 
