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Texas livestock producers urged to stay alert as New World screwworm spreads north in Mexico

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says livestock producers need to be on high alert following the detection of New World screwworm just 90 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Dudley Hoskins, USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs tells Brownfield the department continues to closely monitor cases. “The Secretary has us doing an assessment of what is happening on the ground in Mexico at a 24-7 cadence,” he says. “That has not changed. We continue to work with our partners at SENASICA.  We have a number of USDA personnel in country.”

The Texas Department of Agriculture says the latest case was detected in a canine in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.  According to SENASICA, Mexico’s animal health agency, this is the northernmost active incidence of NWS. 

He says the department utilizes information from the Agricultural Research Service to determine the best course of action to fight the pest. “We take all of that data, the SENASICA data, the data that we collect, we put it into the ARS model,” he says.  “And what the model tells us is where is the highest and best use of sterile fly dispersal.”

Currently, the USDA’s dispersal polygon encompasses much of northern Mexico, into southern Texas. 

Last week the USDA released an updated Response Playbook.  Hoskins says the updates outline critical science-based strategies for responders on multiple levels. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service made several key updates that clarified and expanded on terminology, agency roles, animal movement requirements, and wildlife management. Hoskins says the agency will continue to revise the Playbook as the situation evolves.

Miller says despite efforts from the USDA, New World screwworm has not been successfully contained and Texas must be proactive in dealing with the pest.

AUDIO: USDA Undersecretary Dudley Hoskins