Diseases & conditions

Screwworm Found in Texas Cattle for First Time Since 1966

Is this an urgent crisis demanding federal intervention or a manageable threat ranchers have handled before?

Published JUN 4

Screwworm Found in Texas Cattle for First Time Since 1966

Story

Above: Cattle headed for the U.S. are halted in Mexico over screwworm fears on Nov. 27, 2024. Image credit: Christian Torres/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Facts

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed Wednesday that New World screwworm larvae were found in a three-week-old calf in La Pryor, Texas — the first detected case in U.S. livestock since 1966, approximately 30 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Wall Street Journal
BBC News
Texas' State Veterinarian established a 12-mile quarantine zone around the detection area, prohibiting movement of any warm-blooded animal without inspection. The USDA also announced emergency shipments of treatment supplies and accelerated sterile-fly releases.
Axios
The Associated Press
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the USDA has deployed 8,000 fly traps along the U.S.-Mexico border and tested more than 58,000 fly samples.
BBC News
The Associated Press
The USDA has invested $21 million to convert a fruit-fly breeding facility in southern Mexico for sterile screwworm fly production and begun construction on a $750 million sterile-fly factory in southern Texas. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also authorized emergency use of the drug Doramectin for livestock.
Texas Scorecard
Newsmax
The American cattle herd is already at its smallest since the 1950s, according to USDA data, with ground beef hitting a record $6.89 per pound in May. Live cattle futures fell about 0.8% Thursday morning following news of the screwworm detection.
Axios
The Wall Street Journal
The New World screwworm fly, a tropical species, was contained in Panama until late 2024 before spreading north through Central America into Mexico. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that human cases are rare, though infestations can cause bleeding sores that may require surgery.
Axios
Newsmax

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The New World screwworm's return to U.S. cattle is a serious threat that demands urgent federal action. The American cattle herd is already at its smallest since the 1950s, and movement restrictions and trade disruptions could compound an already strained livestock market driving beef prices to record highs. The USDA's 12.4-mile quarantine zone and accelerated sterile-fly releases are the right moves, but the window to contain this is narrow.

The New York Times

The Wall Street Journal

Narrative B

Panic over the screwworm ignores decades of proven science and practical ranching know-how. The sterile insect technique already eradicated this pest once across all of North and Central America, and good wound management, careful use of antiparasitics and close animal observation are powerful tools ranchers already have. Sound husbandry and international cooperation beat this before and can beat it again.

The Daily Concept

Leaning On Our Crooks