Numerous members of the Senate Democratic caucus sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urging it to do more to curb the New World screwworm fly that recently crossed the border.

There are seven confirmed cases of the flesh-eating pest in the U.S., six in Texas and one in New Mexico, threatening the region's livestock industry.

The letter was signed by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Minn.; Ben Ray Lujan, N.M.; Elissa Slotkin, Mich.; and Martin Heinrich, N.M., among others.

"We are aware that the USDA has engaged in preliminary efforts to contain this outbreak, including enhanced surveillance, sterile fly releases, coordination with animal health officials in Texas and New Mexico, and the confirmation that the U.S. food supply remains safe," the senators wrote.

"These actions are critical first steps, but the evolving situation demands additional actions to ensure that the United States is adequately responding to the significance of this threat," the senators added.

The senators are calling for the USDA to expand and accelerate the production of sterile flies.

They also want to explore authorities under the Defense Production Act to expand production of veterinary countermeasures and sterile flies, and incentivize reporting through the implementation of indemnification for livestock and poultry producers who report suspected cases of New World screwworm, modeled after the indemnification program for milk losses from dairy cattle due to avian flu.

Other measures include providing additional funding for education and outreach to livestock and poultry organizations and other impacted stakeholders at the local and state level and to activate all available accredited USDA veterinarians to increase surveillance of New World screwworm.

The USDA relies on a single Panama-based production facility that churns out 100 million flies weekly, far short of the 500 million figure authorities are eyeing, the Washington Examiner reported.

The U.S. is building its first domestic sterile fly facility at a base in Texas, though the location will not be open until next May, according to the Examiner.