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. …
Tag: screwworm
May 15
Limited Sterile Fly Supply Prompts Strategic Screwworm Response Says Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer
In todays beef buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays talks with Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer, Associate Administrator for APHIS and Director of the New World Screwworm Directorate, who gives an update on new world screwworm cases, movement, and preemptive planning. In this role, RDML Schmoyer leads national efforts to protect U.S. agriculture, the …
Apr 29
NCBA’s Sigrid Johannes Warns Against Regulatory Patchwork as New World Screwworm Moves North
In today’s Beef Buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays features comments from farm director KC Shepards ‘ conversation this week at Washington Watch with the Executive Director of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Sigrid Johannes, who says the cattle industry must stay focused on preparation and coordination as concerns grow …
Apr 21
New Sterile Fly Production Facility Marks Major Milestone in Screw Worm Combat
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recently highlighted a significant advancement in American agriculture with the groundbreaking of a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Texas. This collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Army Corps of Engineers is a pivotal component of the USDA’s strategy to combat the …
Apr 16
NCBA Warns New World Screwworm Cases Near Texas Border
The cattle industry is watching closely as New World screwworm cases continue pushing north through Mexico, with the nearest confirmed detection now less than 100 miles from the United States. During a webinar on April 15th hosted by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Sigrid Johannes, Senior Executive Director of Government Affairs, offered an extensive update on …
Mar 30
Brooke Rollins: USDA Signals Potential Shift on Mexican Cattle Imports While Battling Screwworm Threat
In today’s Beef Buzz, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays features comments with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who is signaling a possible shift toward reopening the U.S.–Mexico border to feeder cattle imports while continuing aggressive efforts to contain New World screwworm. The Secretary spoke with the media following her Saturday address to …
Mar 09
USDA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Advance Screwworm Preparedness with New Texas Sterile Fly Facility
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today announced a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas to help with Screwworm Preparedness. This facility is a key component in Secretary Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy (PDF, 1005 …
Feb 20
Merck Introduces New Tool to Prevent and Treat New World Screwworm in Cattle
In today’s beef buzz, senior farm and ranch broadcaster Ron Hays speaks with John Hutcheson, director of the beef cattle technical services team with Merck Animal Health, about a newly approved tool to help protect U.S. cattle from the threat of New World screwworm. The conversation took place on the trade show floor, where Hutcheson …
Feb 10
USDA Announces Completion of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Texas
Yesterday at Moore Air Base, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Governor of Texas Greg Abbott celebrated a significant achievement in the fight against New World Screwworm (NWS) with the completion of a U.S.-based sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas. This facility expands USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border …
Feb 05
South American Horse Screwworm Case Is Contained in Florida By USDA
Following reports of a New World screwworm detection in a horse imported from South America to Florida, Chief Veterinarian for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Kathy Simmons, spoke with Ron Hays CattleCon26 to clarify how the case was identified, treated, and contained under existing USDA protocols. Simmons explained that the case involved a horse imported …


























