With no active cases of New World screwworm, USDA says that efforts to combat the pest are not slowing down.
Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized that working closely with Mexico remains a top priority to prevent the spread from Central America.
According to Sec. Rollins, “In February, USDA and Mexico implemented a comprehensive pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol to ensure safe movement of our livestock across the southern border. Many have said, I’ve only been on the job about seven or eight months, but many have said that our partnership with Mexico right now is as strong and as transparent as it has been in decades. So grateful to my counterpart, Secretary Julio Berdegué over there, and will continue to work daily with him.”
She says that Mexico’s decision to halt cattle movement within its borders will contribute to the eradication of the pest.
“We’ll continue to ensure that no matter the circumstance, our U.S. food supply will remain safe. Thankfully, in addition to the U.S. southern port closures, Mexico has agreed within their borders to hold all animal movement in affected zones. So this is a very big deal. They’re not moving all their cattle to our border, and then they sit there. Mexico has agreed to stop all movement of their cattle. This was a few months ago, and we believe that will continue to help us push the New World screwworm back to the Darién Gap and hopefully towards eradication.”
As part of that initiative, Rollins says that USDA and other agencies are sending personnel south of the border.
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller joins us to discuss the cattle herd rebuild, trade concerns, and how ranchers would define “America First” policy priorities.
February 13, 2026 12:50 PM
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The USDA opened a new sterile fly-dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in South Texas to prevent a potential outbreak of New World screwworm and protect the small U.S. cattle herd.
February 12, 2026 10:47 AM
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Richard Gupton of the Agricultural Retailers Association discusses the EPA’s new decision on over-the-top Dicamba and what it means for growers this year.
February 11, 2026 01:32 PM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey was in Mission, Texas, where state and federal officials addressed growers and producers at a round table event hosted at a citrus grower’s facility. He shows us how welcome news was all around.
February 10, 2026 12:05 PM
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The EPA has approved over-the-top dicamba applications for the 2026 and 2027 growing seasons, outlining new rules that impact herbicide use for U.S. crop producers.
February 09, 2026 11:32 AM
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Top issues facing the beef industry took center stage at CattleCon this year in Nashville.
February 06, 2026 04:58 PM
Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who sits on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, spoke exclusively with RFD NEWS about what Congress is doing to address screwworm concerns, including funding for a sterile fly production facility in Mexico.
February 06, 2026 12:07 PM
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HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy calls on cattle producers to retain breeding cows while Ivomec receives emergency authorization to prevent New World screwworm.
February 06, 2026 11:48 AM
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Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller discusses the state’s latest efforts to prevent the New World screwworm from reaching Texas.
February 02, 2026 12:22 PM
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