First U.S. Screwworm Detection Found In Texas Sparks Concerns Over Livestock Threat

The first United States New World screwworm detection found in Texas has prompted renewed concern among lawmakers and agriculture officials who warn the pest could pose a serious threat to the state's cattle industry and rural economy.

The screwworm threatens agriculture by infecting cattle and other livestock, hurting farming economies. Although the worm was eradicated from the U.S. in 1966, it has been creeping closer to American borders as it spread north through Central America and Mexico.

Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX) said the administration has been preparing for this confirmation for nearly two years and has worked to delay it for as long as possible. He warned that if the situation develops into an outbreak, it could have a devastating impact on the state's economy.

“An outbreak in Texas is estimated to cost our economy nearly $2 billion in losses, which reinforces why we have consistently pushed for aggressive surveillance and robust eradication efforts throughout Central America and Mexico," Rep. Jackson said.

Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins testified before members of the House ​Agriculture Committee about the agency’s plan to prevent this from happening.

"We do ​not believe this will be ​an infestation. We’ll be able to isolate each case," Rollins said. "We’ve got the teams on ‌the ⁠ground ready to go.”

Last year, Rollins also appeared before the committee to address similar screwworm concerns. She said USDA has since made “substantial progress” in strengthening combative and preventative strategies.

“We have significantly expanded sterile fly dispersal capacity, advanced next‑generation tools, strengthened surveillance with more than 8,000 traps and more than 57,000 screenings along the border and completed audits and rapid response actions inside Mexico,” Rollins said.

But, Texas Animal Health Commissioner Sid Miller said the agency’s response to the outbreak has not been as immediate and effective as Rollins claims.

"For months, the screwworm has advanced rapidly through Mexico in spite of the USDA’s existing gameplan,” Miller said.

According to Miller, the response has been “slow, bureaucratic and incomplete,” allowing the pest to move across the Mexico-U.S. border.

Miller is now urging President Donald Trump to require the USDA to immediately deploy the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a technology developed by USDA scientists and successfully used to eradicate screwworm in Mexico and Texas when it last appeared.

“USDA already owns the playbook; the only question is whether USDA will use it before this situation gets worse,” Miller said.

Nonetheless, Rep. Jackson stressed that federal and state agencies must remain coordinated and adequately funded to prevent the pest from spreading further.

“It is critical that we remain vigilant and fully support the USDA and Texas Animal Health Commission’s response to mitigate the spread of this threat before it devastates our livestock industry, wildlife populations and rural economies,” he said.