In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays features comments from Director of the New World Screwworm Directorate Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer and State Veterinarian for the Texas Animal Health Commission, Bud Dinges, who are working to correct misinformation and provide an update on the New World screwworm situation along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Reports of Screwworm at the Border Were Incorrect
Earlier this week, reports circulated online suggesting New World screwworm had been detected just one mile from the Texas border. Those claims prompted concern throughout the livestock industry and led USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to convene a special media briefing to provide accurate information.
According to Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer, the closest confirmed case remains in Mexico. “The most important point is that New World screwworm is not in the United States,” Schmoyer said.
He explained that the nearest active case involves a five-year-old goat in Coahuila, Mexico, approximately 25 miles south of the Texas border. The case was detected on May 30 and shared with the USDA by Mexican animal health officials.
Cases Near the Border Remain Inside Sterile Fly Zone
While detections have increased closer to the border, Rear Admiral Schmoyer emphasized that all recent cases found within 100 miles of the United States are occurring inside the sterile fly dispersal area. “While we’ve seen an increase recently in the number of cases within 100 miles of the U.S. border, all those cases right now are within the sterile fly dispersal area,” Schmoyer said.
USDA continues to coordinate closely with Mexico’s agricultural authorities to track new cases and gather epidemiological information as the situation evolves.
USDA Has a Response Plan Ready
Rear Admiral Schmoyer said USDA is prepared to act immediately if New World screwworm is detected in the United States. “If there was a detection in the United States, USDA will take immediate action to contain and eradicate the pest,” he said.
He pointed to the agency’s New World Screwworm Playbook, which outlines response procedures from preparedness through eradication. The plan includes coordinating response efforts, limiting the spread to additional animals, managing infestations, conducting surveillance in livestock and wildlife populations, and maintaining continuity of business during an outbreak. “The great thing about this particular process is it allows us to identify and maintain resource requirements and be able to respond very, very quickly,” Schmoyer said.
Texas Expands Prevention and Surveillance Efforts
Texas Animal Health Commission Executive Director and State Veterinarian Dr. Bud Dinges told reporters that state and federal officials are already taking precautionary steps along the border. “As a precaution, USDA and TAHC staff are leveraging and expanding existing ground release sites for the distribution of sterile flies in South Texas,” Dr. Dinges said.
He added that USDA continues aerial releases of sterile screwworm flies in South Texas counties, with dispersal grids adjusted as needed to maximize effectiveness. Officials are also relocating surveillance traps to align with changing sterile fly release patterns and improve early detection capabilities.
More Than 58,000 Flies Tested
Dr. Dinges said surveillance efforts have already produced significant data. “Over 58,000 suspicious flies have been submitted for official identification, and none have been detected as New World screwworms,” he said.
That ongoing monitoring effort, combined with sterile fly releases and coordinated response planning, remains the foundation of USDA and Texas efforts to keep the pest from becoming established in the United States.
For now, officials continue to stress that New World screwworm has not been detected in the United States, despite recent reports suggesting otherwise. The nearest confirmed case remains approximately 25 miles south of the Texas border.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR above for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
