The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has shared a new roadmap outlining how the agency will regularly review the New World Screwworm (NWS) Response Playbook. The roadmap establishes a quarterly cycle for inviting and reviewing stakeholder feedback, incorporating lessons learned, and as needed, refining guidance to ensure the playbook remains an agile, science‑based resource for responders across the United States.
“We are committed to ensuring our domestic response tools evolve as quickly as the situation does,” said Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins. “The response playbook has already proven to be an outstanding and highly effective guide for our nationwide efforts, as reflected in the low number of cases seen in the United States. We especially acknowledge the strong partnership of the Texas Animal Health Commission and the New Mexico Livestock Board, whose close collaboration with APHIS has been vital in effectively implementing the playbook during the current response. The playbook was always intended to be a living document, and continued insights provided by states, producers, veterinarians, wildlife experts and other partners remain essential to strengthening our readiness.”
The NWS Response Playbook outlines critical science-based strategies for federal, state, tribal, and local responders, including how to:
- Coordinate response operations
- Reduce spread and prevent establishment of NWS in new areas
- Manage the pest in infested animals
- Implement NWS fly surveillance and control measures
- Maintain continuity of business
- Support efficient information flow and situational awareness
In April, APHIS shared the playbook that included feedback from state animal health officials, federal partners, tribal governments, livestock and wildlife industry groups, and veterinary organizations. Continued feedback is instrumental in shaping actionable guidance for real-world response conditions. The ongoing NWS response in the United States has also helped identify additional updates needed to enhance clarity, strengthen coordination, and support effective operations on the ground.
To maintain transparency, consistency and strong engagement with states and industry, APHIS will use the new roadmap to guide a new quarterly review process that incorporates stakeholder input and ensures sustained alignment with emerging science and field conditions.
Each quarter, APHIS will conduct a virtual stakeholder meeting. Individuals interested in providing feedback are encouraged to work through their agriculture industry association, enabling those associations to represent stakeholders at the meetings and share feedback on their behalf. Comments may also be submitted directly to [email protected].
After each stakeholder meeting, comments received will be reviewed and synthesized, and the response playbook and its associated policy and guidance documents will be updated as needed based on the feedback.
The following virtual stakeholder meetings and comment review cycles are scheduled through fiscal year 2027:
FY26, Quarter 4
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting: September 9, 2026
Comment Review Cycle: September 21–October 4, 2026
FY27, Quarter 1
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting: week of December 1, 2026
Comment Review Cycle: December 14–20, 2026
FY27, Quarter 2
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting: week of March 8, 2027
Comment Review Cycle: March 22–28, 2027
FY27, Quarter 3
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting: week of June 7, 2027
Comment Review Cycle: June 21–27, 2027
FY27, Quarter 4
Virtual Stakeholder Meeting: week of September 6, 2027
Comment Review Cycle: September 20–26, 2027
