In today’s beef buzz, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, Michael Kelsey, who says the New World screwworm remains a pressing concern for cattle producers across the southern U.S. As winter approaches, he notes that “we’re probably… not going to see it this winter,” but stresses it is “a matter of when, not if.” He believes the initial spread will likely come through wildlife or people rather than cattle because, as he notes, “the border is still closed.”
Kelsey emphasized that the highest priority must be building and activating sterile fly facilities. “We’ve got to have these sterile fly facilities built and up and running,” he says, adding that USDA’s full attention should be on this issue. He points out that screwworms present a different challenge than other foreign animal diseases, explaining, “It’s not a virus, it’s not a bacteria… We’ve lived with this before… and we have some tools in our toolbox now that we didn’t have back in the 40s, 50s and 60s.” While the USDA’s draft playbook feels “a bit harsh,” Kelsey says Oklahoma is fortunate to be working with Dr. Rod Hall, who has “a much more realistic approach.”
Producers are still encouraged to weigh in on USDA’s proposed plan. Kelsey notes, “They are still taking comments… we encourage producers, take a look at it, put your comments in.” He says OCA, along with NCBA, will submit their own input while also working with state officials to craft an Oklahoma-specific response.
On the issue of the U.S.–Mexico cattle border remaining closed, Kelsey acknowledges the tension and the political dynamics surrounding it. “This is real. This is getting hard because it’s getting political,” he says. While he believes Secretary Rollins is “honestly trying to do that” — manage the cattle issue separately — he admits the political environment is “so noisy” that separating cattle health concerns from broader trade pressures is extremely difficult. He stresses the cattle industry’s need to address the issue independently of political agendas.
Looking at the broader supply chain, Kelsey highlights the challenges facing feedyards and packers if Mexican feeder cattle remain unavailable. “We need some of those Mexican feeder cattle,” he says, noting packers are already limited to weekday operations. He warns that shutting out a million head would “put some pressure on some packers,” and that losing another plant would be “long-term bad.” Kelsey is also concerned that Mexico may use this moment to build its own infrastructure, meaning “they won’t have to send those cattle to us” in the future—a development he calls “a bad, bad combination long term.”
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 for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
