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Cattle groups respond to USDA’s New World Screwworm plan

The USDA has announced its plan to combat the northward spread of New World screwworm.  New World screwworm is a devastating pest that can be deadly to animals.

 

Ethan Lane, vice president of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the five-point plan announced by Secretary Rollins on Wednesday sends a very clear message.  “Secretary Rollins and her team at USDA are taking this very seriously, and taking all measures possible to make sure they protect the U.S. cattle industry from this threat and make sure that we don’t have to repeat the 1960’s.”

 

NWS was eradicated from the U.S. previously, but began spreading northward last fall and was detected in southern Mexico in November 2024. 

 

Secretary Rollins announced a $8.5 million sterile insect dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in South Texas on Wednesday that is expected to be online by the end of 2025.

 

The Secretary says the department will continue to work with Mexico to stop the pest from spreading in Mexico, and continue to protect the U.S. border.  She says the department will also continue to work with state animal health officials to finalize emergency management plans.  

 

New World screwworm has not been detected near the U.S. border, but that could change at any time.  

 

Lane tells Brownfield the clock is ticking.  “We have some resources to slow that spread in Mexico.  We need all of Mexico’s cooperation in order to achieve that.  That means not just allowing the planes to get down there and disperse the flies but the monitoring, the movement controls, the wildlife aspect of this. 

 

The department is also investing $21 million to help support Mexico’s renovation of its sterile insect facility, which isn’t expected to be completed until the end of 2026. 

 

USDA’s Agriculture Research Service is also working to develop novel treatments, preventatives, and response strategies to combat the pest. 

 

Stephen Diebel is vice president of the Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association and ranches along the Gulf Coast. He says the long-term outlook is good, but in the short term, the goal is to educate producers.  “On treatment, prevention, and protocols that can’t be used at the ranch level, and then in the meantime, you know, just make sure our southern partners in Mexico are continually getting those dispersion flights out. 

 

Live cattle imports from Mexico remain suspended as the USDA continues to evaluate the situation and the effectiveness of existing mitigation measures on a month-by-month basis.