EYE ON AGRICULTURE
The New World screwworm — a parasitic fly whose larvae infest and feed on the flesh of warm-blooded animals –has been making a comeback just south of the U.S. – Mexico border.
In response to this issue, Texas and the US Department of Agriculture are launching a full-scale plan to keep this deadly pest from crossing into the state and harming livestock, pets, wildlife, and even people.
The scary realization is this fly may look ordinary, but it lays its eggs in open wounds.
When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into living flesh, causing severe infections and even death if untreated. Animals at most risk are cattle, deer, and dogs.
Screwworms were wiped out in this country decades ago by releasing sterile male flies to prevent the population from reproducing. But now, the threat has returned in parts of Mexico, and experts fear it could spread north into Texas.
At Moore Air Base in Edinburg, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brook Rollins unveiled a five-point strategy to block screwworms spreading back into Texas.
- Renovate Mexico’s Fly Facility – A $21 million renovation in southern Mexico hoping to boot sterile fly output
- Reinstate and enforce import restrictions – USDA maintains a livestock import ban from high-risk Mexican states, while reopening low-risk ports under strict screening
- Launch Texas readiness program – collaborating with Texas Parks & Wildlife and Animal Health Commission, USDA will conduct trainings, emergency drills, stockpile therapeutics, and enhance surveillance
- Build sterile fly facility in Texas – and $8.5 million sterile-male screwworm facility at Moore Air Base
- Advance Detection and innovation – USDA is funding research to create more treatment plans
If screwworms gain a foothold in Texas, the cost could be massive with billions of dollars lost in cattle and damage to wildlife. Most importantly, screwworms cause serious suffering for animals and can even infect humans in rare cases.
Animals owners and ranchers should be checking for wounds on animals, watching them closely, and report anything suspicious to authorities to help quarantine the pest.
Texas leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbot and lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are calling for more funding and support.
The goal is simple: Keep screwworms out of Texas protecting rural communities and public health. Texas is ready to fight back against this dangerous pest.
Morgan Dreyer is a student at Angelo State University and covers agriculture news for the Concho Observer.
