LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — The response to the New World screwworm in Texas is showing how years of preparation may help limit the impact of a major livestock threat.
Sigrid Johannes, executive director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says state and federal agencies were not caught off guard when the first U.S. case was confirmed. Planning, response strategies, and coordination had been underway before the pest reached the country.
Those efforts included movement protocols, animal inspection plans, access to treatment, and preparations to expand sterile insect production. A facility in Mexico is now producing sterile flies, while work continues on additional capacity in South Texas.
The biggest remaining concern may be wildlife. Monitoring livestock movement is more manageable, but tracking potential cases in wild animal populations across large areas of Texas and neighboring states creates a much larger challenge.
The livestock industry continues watching for spread while agencies focus on containment, surveillance, and response efforts.
