NCBA, TSCRA and OCA have all commended the efforts of US Secretary of Ag Brooke Rollins in holding Mexico accountable in keeping the New World Screwworm any further north- here are the releases from the three groups:
NCBA
Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ actions to protect the American cattle industry from the rising threat of New World screwworm.
“The U.S. spent millions of dollars to eradicate New World screwworm from our borders in the 1960s but unfortunately, we are now facing this dangerous threat again,” said NCBA President and Nebraska cattleman Buck Wehrbein. “Screwworm is very destructive and could cost American producers millions of dollars a year if it reaches us. Americans have been investing in prevention efforts in Central America for decades, but we can’t stop this without Mexico’s participation. NCBA strongly supports Secretary Rollins holding Mexico to their commitments regarding screwworm eradication.”
In November 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was notified that New World screwworm was detected in Mexico. NCBA has been working closely with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to increase surveillance, inspection, and other measures to counter this pest.
At the same time, NCBA has also been working with USDA to expand the use of the sterile insect technique, which requires the continuous release of sterile male screwworm files that breed with wild screwworms and result in no offspring, eradicating the species.
Unfortunately, Mexican authorities have failed to uphold their end of the agreement by disrupting planes carrying these sterile male files, refusing pilots permission to land, and instituting customs duties on flight components, sterile flies, and sterile insect technique equipment.
“We have received multiple reports that critical flights carrying these sterile flies have been denied permission to land, faced bogus paperwork issues, and been charged high customs fees. As a result, we have lost significant time and investment that has allowed these dangerous pests to spread unchecked into southern Mexico,” said NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “In light of those reports, NCBA met with the Mexican Embassy earlier this week to deliver the message that the Mexican government needs to be a partner on eradicating screwworms to protect both animal and human health. It’s time for Mexican authorities to act and we appreciate Secretary Rollins standing with American and Mexican cattle producers who want to see this pest stopped dead in its tracks.”
Earlier this week, NCBA President Wehrbein also met with senior officials at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C. to press for further action on screwworm eradication. NCBA will continue this critical work to ensure we are protecting U.S. consumers and the health of the American cattle herd.
TSCRA
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the largest and oldest livestock association in the Southwest, commends U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ efforts to hold Mexico accountable for its failure to manage the growing threat of New World screwworm (NWS). In a letter to Mexican officials, Secretary Rollins called out Mexico for their inaction to prevent further spread of NWS, threating to restrict cattle and bison movement across U.S. ports of entry should appropriate action by the Mexican government not be taken before April 30.
“As our neighbor, Mexico has fallen short in its role as a partner in managing the spread of NWS, placing the burden and risk disproportionately on the U.S.,” said Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Carl Ray Polk Jr. “We continually advocate for proactive efforts to manage NWS before it reaches the U.S. border, and welcome the supportive consequences put in place by Secretary Rollins that can spur needed action to protect America’s cattle industry, food supply and wildlife populations.”
Earlier in April, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association had boots on the ground in Panama at the world’s only large-scale sterile fly production facility. This facility provides the sole defense against the spread of NWS across North and South America. Flies that came from this facility have inconsistently been denied access in certain parts of Mexico for dispersal flights.
“Mexico has tools at their fingertips, and to not allow aerial drops of sterile flies is irresponsible,” said Polk. “Texas will be the first to face the consequences of their inaction, and cattle raisers need strong leadership from USDA like Rollins’ demonstrated today to push back against their failures.”
Holding Mexico accountable is just one part of the fight against the NWS. Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is actively championing the creation of a U.S.-based sterile fly production facility. Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association continues to collaborate with federal and state leaders to deliver proactive solutions to combat the eminent threat of the NWS.
Oklahoma Cattlemen:
The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) has announced full support for USDA Secretary Rollins recent actions to protect America’s livestock from the rising threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS). Today, Secretary Rollins sent a very sharp yet openly cooperative letter to her counterpart in Mexico insisting that Mexico hold to their commitments regarding NWS control and eradication.
In November of last year, USDA was informed that NWS had been detected in far south Mexico. Since that time, it has made a slow trek north. USDA has been sending supplies including sterile male flies by plane to Mexico which have been denied landing privileges as well as being assessed customs duties on the flies and insect technique equipment. Release of sterile male flies into infected areas is the best and most effective measure to stop the spread northward and begin pushing the flies southward back into the Darian Gap.
“OCA remembers well the extreme cost of this pest to our cattle businesses before eradication in the 1960s. We cannot afford to let the fly move into the United States so Mexico must cooperate with us, which only benefits them as well,” commented Dr. Troy Shelby, OCA President.
OCA Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey shared, “OCA met with Secretary Rollins on April 24th and discussed this issue directly. She was fully up to speed and shared her complete support for an all-out push to keep the Screwworm fly out of the US. OCA greatly appreciates Secretary Rollins leadership on this important issue!”
