Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to establish a joint Texas New World Screwworm Response Team to combat the recent northward spread of the New World screwworm (NWS).
“The recent northward spread of the New World screwworm from Central America into southern Mexico poses a serious threat to Texas livestock and wildlife,” Abbott said a letter to the agencies. “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. We stand ready to protect our land, livestock and wildlife.”
NWS was detected in Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas in November 2024. In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended imports of live cattle, horse and bison from Mexico.
NWS is a pest that causes serious and often deadly damage to livestock, wildlife, pets and, in rare cases, humans. While NWS has been eradicated from the United States for decades, recent detections have been made in Mexico as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of an US$8.5 million sterile NWS fly dispersal facility in South Texas and announced a five-pronged plan to enhance USDA’s ability to detect, control and eliminate the pest.
“The United States has defeated NWS before and we will do it again,” Rollins said at the time. “We do not take lightly the threat NWS poses to our livestock industry, our economy, and our food supply chain. The United States government will use all resources at its disposal to push back NWS, and today’s announcement of a domestic strategy to bolster our border defenses is just the beginning. We have the proven tools, strong domestic and international partnerships, and the grit needed to win this battle.”
