WACO, Texas (RFD-TV) — Texas agriculture leaders continue monitoring the spread of the New World screwworm as thousands of cases are reported across Mexico and Central America.
Texas Farm Bureau says it has been working alongside the Texas Animal Health Commission, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as concerns grow surrounding the flesh-eating pest and its potential impact on livestock.
However, the economic risk stretches far beyond cattle alone.
“So, you know, beef is the largest ag commodity produced in the state of Texas, the highest value product,” explains Texas Farm Bureau State Director Brian Jones. “And then you add on top of that sheep and goat, you add on top of that wildlife that produces all sorts of income for Texas ranchers as well.”
Jones says one of the biggest tools helping to slow the pest’s northward movement has been the release of sterile flies across affected areas:
“One thing that we really believe has helped prolong the entrance into Texas over the last year, year and a half, is because of those sterile flies and the way that the USDA has been moving the polygon, shifting it north as the screw worm has kind of made its way in through Mexico.”
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) says it is also increasing wildlife surveillance efforts for signs of infestation.
According to the USDA, more than 18,000 wild animals representing 102 species have been inspected across 187 U.S. counties. The agency also says more than 900 sampling kits have been distributed to field staff and partner agencies to expand monitoring efforts.
Despite those efforts, many in the Texas agriculture community believe the pest could eventually arrive in South Texas.
Jones says producers are continuing to closely monitor cattle, sheep, and goats while preparing for potential infestations.
Frank McCaffrey reporting for RFD-TV.
