A total of $105 million is now available to fund 40 research and innovation projects aimed at strengthening the nation’s defenses against the New World screwworm.
According to Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins, the funding represents the culmination of an expedited review process designed to quickly vet and approve project submissions. Several of these projects have already been fast-tracked for implementation to support ongoing New World screwworm prevention and response efforts.
Modernizing the Toolkit
The funding initiative, structured as a “Grand Challenge,” is a core component of the Secretary’s five-prong plan to combat the pest. Hoskins noted that the Grand Challenge projects and awards will run concurrently to help modernize existing strategies against the screwworm by introducing new ideas, innovations, and technologies.
The 40 funded projects are divided into four distinct categories, each focusing on different research and development aspects of New World screwworm preparation and response:
- Sterile Fly Production: The top priority focuses on maximizing production capacity. This includes projects aimed at improving technology, production techniques, and specialized diets for raising and harvesting screwworms.
- Traps and Lures: The second category focuses on developing novel tools and advanced detection methods to monitor the pest.
- Therapeutics and Treatments: The third category covers enhanced treatments. Hoskins highlighted collaboration with the FDA, which has been working additional hours to issue emergency use authorizations and conditional approvals for 12 or 13 different products.
- Preparedness and Response: The final category dedicated to the Grand Challenge centers on bolstering overall emergency readiness and rapid-response capabilities.
More information about the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s screwworm response efforts and the Grand Challenge projects is available online at www.screwworm.gov.
