The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) officially opened the new Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory May 27 in Kerrville, Texas. This 52,000-square-foot facility is designed to protect the U.S. livestock industry by developing advanced technologies to manage and eliminate invasive pests, specifically the New World screwworm and various tick species.
Key Features of the New Facility
The state-of-the-art laboratory provides the U.S. livestock industry with cutting-edge tools for pest management, including:
- A High-Tech Genomics Core: To identify pest vulnerabilities at the molecular level.
- Livestock Arthropod Pest Research Unit: Focused on the health and sustainability of cattle production.
- Veterinary Pest Genetics Research Unit: Dedicated to protecting the food supply from biting flies and ticks.
- Advanced Surveillance Tools: Improved trapping and mitigation strategies for invasive species.
“The Trump administration has been committed to eradicating pests that could harm our American livestock since the President has been sworn in,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The brand new Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory will allow us to research and find new active measures to keep current and future threats away from our borders. We have taken extraordinary actions to keep New World screwworm out of the United States and this lab will help us accelerate our offensive efforts to drive this pest further away from our borders.”
USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Scott Hutchins explains the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory is named after ARS pioneers — Edward F. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland. In 1937, Knipling first developed the theory that screwworms could be controlled using the sterile male technique. In the early 1950s, Bushland successfully demonstrated that the theory worked, that viable sterile male screwworms could be produced and used to control screwworm populations.
The Future of Pest Control
According to ARS Administrator Joon Park, the Kerrville facility will focus on the next generation of biocontrol, including:
- Novel Insecticides: Developing treatments that are more effective and sustainable.
- Pesticide Resistance: Finding new ways to combat pests that have evolved to survive current treatments.
- Wildlife Integration: Researching how pests move between wildlife and domestic cattle.
“The important ARS research conducted here in Kerrville will continue to play a vital role in protecting and strengthening the future of the U.S. cattle industry,” Park explains.
