Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has offered General Land Office (GLO) managed lands to support Texas’ and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s New World screwworm response. The parasite, which feeds off flesh through open wounds, has been detected in five cases in Texas, including one in a dog that lives in New Mexico.

New World Screwworm Response

The GLO oversees 750,000 acres of grazing and hunting leases in Texas, which can be used for trapping infrastructure, deploying sterile insects, quarantine zones, and other uses. Buckingham suggested using the land to protect livestock from the parasite.

Agriculture plays a vital role in our state and national economy, and the GLO is always happy to offer solutions that safeguard our State and citizens, said Buckingham. The rapid detection, containment, and response efforts already underway demonstrate Texas’ commitment to protecting our livestock industry and agricultural economy.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.