Governor Abbott Orders Formation of Screwworm Response Team Amid Growing Threat

Governor Greg Abbott (R) has directed two state agencies to form a joint task force to combat the growing threat of the New World screwworm, a parasitic insect that poses a major risk to livestock and wildlife.

Gov. Abbott instructed the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to establish a coordinated "Texas New World Screwworm Response Team" in response to the pest’s recent spread northward from Central America into southern Mexico.

“The recent northward spread of the New World screwworm from Central America into southern Mexico poses a serious threat to Texas livestock and wildlife,” Gov. Abbott wrote. “To proactively address this threat, I am directing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to jointly establish a Texas New World Screwworm Response Team.”

The New World screwworm is a species of fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, often entering through open wounds. Though eradicated in the U.S. by the early 1980s through sterile insect techniques, the parasite remains endemic in parts of South and Central America. Its reintroduction would pose serious risks to Texas’s multibillion-dollar livestock industry and native wildlife populations.

Governor Abbott emphasized the urgent need for prevention and coordination.

“The mission for the Response Team is clear: to lead Texas’ prevention and response efforts and ensure that Texas remains informed, prepared, and aligned to prevent the re-emergence of this destructive parasite,” he said. “We stand ready to protect our land, livestock, and wildlife.”

The TPWD and TAHC are expected to coordinate with federal partners, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and deploy both public awareness campaigns and field response protocols as part of the effort.

The establishment of the response team marks a significant step in safeguarding the state's agricultural economy and biodiversity.