Nov 04
With nearly 100 cases confirmed since June, the pressure from New World screwworm populations continues to build along the southern border. Farm Director KC Sheperd recently sat down with Oklahoma State University Entomology Professor Dr. Justin Talley to examine the pest’s current spread, its destructive life cycle, and the critical management steps livestock producers must …
Oct 22
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the first detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in wildlife in the United States, identified in an elk in Pecos County, Texas. The elk was located on a game ranch and was officially reported after being harvested by a hunter. …
Sep 17
Following a closure of more than one year driven by New World screwworm (NWS) concerns, the United States border has reopened to live cattle imports from Mexico. USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins recently led a delegation to the port in Douglas, Arizona, alongside Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Alan Huddleston, to …
Sep 14
Federal and state animal health officials have confirmed the first equine case of New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) in the United States this century. The detection, officially verified by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on September 9, 2026, involved a working ranch horse in Presidio County, Texas, marking a significant escalation …
Sep 09
According to reporting by Rod Bain for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C., scientists are making significant strides in modernizing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)—a biological control method that has formed the backbone of New World screwworm eradication across the United States and the North American continent since the 1950s and 1960s. The …
Sep 04
In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays features comments from Dr. Jonathan Cammack, entomologist with Oklahoma State University Extension, about the latest developments surrounding New World screwworm and what livestock producers can do to help protect their animals as the threat continues. Sterile Flies Key to Screwworm Eradication Cammack discussed New …
Aug 28
As Mexican live cattle begin crossing into the United States through Douglas, Arizona, after months of enhanced New World screwworm prevention measures, USDA is outlining the animal health protocol cattle must complete before entering the country. The details were provided by USDA Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Alan Huddleston and Rod Bain of the U.S. Department …
Jul 08
A total of $105 million is now available to fund 40 research and innovation projects aimed at strengthening the nation’s defenses against the New World screwworm. USDA’s Rod Bain says that, according to Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins, the funding represents the culmination of an expedited review process designed to …
Jun 29
In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays features comments from two leading beef cattle economists, Dr. Derrell Peel and Dr. David Anderson, about the economic unknowns surrounding the spread of New World Screwworm and what it could mean for the U.S. cattle industry. Dr. Peel and Dr. Anderson discussed a wide range of key industry issues during …
Jun 24
In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with Michael Kelsey, Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, about the growing threat of New World Screwworm as confirmed cases continue moving north through Texas, raising concerns for cattle producers in Oklahoma. With 16 total cases now confirmed and 13 still …
