A public dispute between Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller (R) and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (R) intensified as New World screwworm cases were confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, with Miller urging a more aggressive federal response to contain the pest.
What sparked the disagreement?
Tensions between Commissioner Miller and Secretary Rollins escalated after Rollins criticized Miller's call for additional measures to combat the spread of the New World screwworm.
Speaking at a news conference in Texas, Rollins dismissed Miller's criticism of the federal response.
What Rollins said
Secretary Brooke Rollins: "That is a very unserious comment, from perhaps an unserious ag commissioner with just a few months left."
Sec. Rollins continued: "It is also a very dangerous suggestion."
Rollins also said Miller "has had lots of crazy ideas for a long time," as the Trump administration continues efforts to contain the outbreak.
Why is Miller calling for more action?
The dispute comes as officials confirmed three new detections of the New World screwworm, including cases in Gillespie County and a case initially reported in Andrews County that was later confirmed in Lea County, New Mexico.
Miller argues that the U.S. Department of Agriculture should immediately deploy the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a USDA-developed program designed to reduce fertile screwworm fly populations.
What Miller is saying
Commissioner Sid Miller: "We've seen detections in four counties and two states. This should set off alarm bells across the country."
Miller continued: "The science is settled. The tools are available. What's missing is urgency from the USDA."
Miller emphasized that SWASS should be used alongside sterile fly releases, which federal officials are already deploying as part of the containment effort.
The Bottom Line
As new screwworm cases emerge in Texas and New Mexico, a growing disagreement between state and federal agricultural leaders highlights competing views on how aggressively the outbreak should be addressed and whether additional suppression tools should be deployed immediately.
