The first detection of New World screwworm in the U.S. did not reveal a weakness in the livestock industry. It revealed a strength: our ability to come together before a crisis reaches our border.
NWS did not catch ranchers and landowners off guard. Even during record drought, low cattle inventory and fluctuating market dynamics, we have worked together to prepare for this moment.
Landowners, ranchers, veterinarians, state officials, federal agencies and industry groups found common ground and developed the same playbook.
Last summer, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and 13 other trade organizations convened to form the Screwworm Coalition of Texas — an industry platform for state animal health officials to share timely updates. Through weekly meetings, ongoing conversations and collaborative planning, the coalition optimized its response to NWS.
Turning to USDA, Texas livestock groups advocated for a domestic sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base near Mission. Funding was secured in August 2025. Today, with a contract in place and ground officially broken, the U.S. is expected to have the domestic facility completed in spring 2027.
According to projection models, NWS could have reached the U.S. as early as last summer had immediate action not been taken. The measures implemented throughout the past 20 months have slowed the pest’s northward spread and provided valuable time to strengthen our defenses, expand response capacity and prepare producers for a possible domestic incursion.
Texas is in a strong position today because people chose to work together before there was a crisis.
USDA, Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Gov. Greg Abbott and industry partners have increased surveillance, expanded sterile fly production and built additional dispersal capacity to ensure flies can be deployed where they are needed most. But the most important player in the fight against NWS isn’t sitting in an office in Austin or Washington, D.C. It’s the rancher checking livestock daily and the landowner keeping an eye on wildlife.
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association has supported ranchers and landowners by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to serve as the first line of defense against NWS.
In addition to releasing a New World Screwworm Producer Guide, the association has hosted a number of educational programs on how to properly monitor herds, implement best management practices and report suspected NWS cases.
This response looks different than it did 50 years ago. While we are deploying the same sterile insect technique that successfully eradicated NWS from the U.S. the first time around, our ability to detect, report and respond to new cases has improved dramatically.
Advances in technology, communication and research have strengthened our response, and emerging tools continue to show promise. These strategies include sterile flies, detailed surveillance protocols and predictive computer modeling to refine eradication efforts.
The most important message is this: Reporting suspected cases is a responsibility for us all. Reporting a potential detection of NWS will not inhibit commerce. Failing to report is not only negligent, but dangerous, and puts the entire industry at risk.
Every case we identify helps us deploy sterile flies more strategically, and every mile we push this pest south begins with someone willing to make the call. Treated and inspected cattle can move while sterile flies can be deployed where they are needed most.
Our lead agencies have set reasonable requirements to clear livestock to move out of an infested zone. This allows continuity of commerce to be minimally interrupted.
As the situation continues to evolve, producers should remain vigilant. The best thing a rancher can do is put eyes on their livestock. The key to early detection is monitoring livestock and wildlife, knowing the signs of infestation and reporting suspicious cases immediately. The key to eradication is a proactive community of ranchers and landowners who are willing to report.
While the pest brings inevitable challenges to our industry, our strength lies in recognizing opportunities for improvement and rapid response. Texas cattle raisers may feel the impact of this situation, but they are not facing it alone.
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association will continue serving as a trusted source of information, connecting producers with resources, advocating for ranchers and landowners and ensuring producer concerns are represented throughout the fight against NWS.
