NCBA is urging Congress to pass the Stop Screwworms Act, warning the devastating pest could make its return to U.S. soils as soon as late summer.
The organization’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs breaks down what the legislation really means.
According to Ethan Lane, “The Stop Screwworms Act is a critical piece of legislation just introduced on Capitol Hill by Tony Gonzalez, Congressman from West Texas, and a host of his delegation— members from the state of Texas, including both Senators, as well as Senators from New Mexico and elsewhere. Really standing up for cattle producers around the country and those that are in the path of this incursion from Mexico by the new world screwworm. This bill allocates $300 million to construct a facility here in the United States to allow us to manufacture the hundreds of millions of sterile, male screwworm flies needed weekly to combat this incursion and push it back down into Mexico, where it’s been since the 1960s.”
Lane says that the legislation is a move in the right direction for this issue.
“This is exactly what we needed in this conversation in Washington, particularly with everything going on right now with reconciliation and all of these different big, beautiful bills happening in Washington,” he adds. “This is an important single piece of legislation that really highlights exactly what’s needed from Congress to combat this threat.”
New world screwworm has been eradicated from the United States for nearly 30 years. It is considered endemic in countries like Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Last year was a busy year for pesticide litigation in the United States. At No. 10, it kicks off RFD-TV Legal Expert Roger McEowen’s list of the “Top 10” Agricultural Law and Tax Developments of 2025.
January 06, 2026 11:06 AM
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Preserving equity through active risk management remains critical in a volatile, supply-driven market.
January 06, 2026 06:00 AM
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As markets anticipate a return to normal trading following the New Year’s holiday, the possibility of the southern border re-opening to cattle is capturing much attention.
December 30, 2025 11:28 AM
Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-IA, details how the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA) supports farmers, biofuels, and rural communities with tax breaks, crop insurance relief, and ag infrastructure.
December 23, 2025 02:01 PM
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Recent USDA export sales data show China has been active in the U.S. market, but analysts tell RFD-TV News that the timing is a key clue.
December 22, 2025 12:45 PM
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In Minnesota, a legal and legislative battle has reached a tipping point. For over a decade, the state’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the private deer-farming industry have been locked in a dispute over the management of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
December 22, 2025 12:30 PM
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Tight feeder supplies and lower placements indicate continued support for the cattle market, with regional impacts heightened in Texas by reduced feeder imports.
December 22, 2025 10:10 AM
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Farm Journal Foundation Senior Policy Adviser Dr. Stephanie Mercier outlines new research on the top sixteen biosecurity threats in agriculture/
December 10, 2025 01:05 PM
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Mold damage is tightening China’s corn supplies, supporting higher prices and creating potential demand for alternative feed grains in early 2026.
December 09, 2025 07:00 AM
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