The Texas Department of Agriculture is deploying a synthetic bait called Swormlure-5. It is designed to smell like an open wound, drawing flies in and helping control the spread.
Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller spoke with RFD-TV’s Tammi Arender about how the bait works, what producers need to know, and next steps moving forward.
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What is it like working cattle with an outbreak of New World Screwworm so close to home? Wayne Cockrell, with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, joined us on Wednesday to discuss.
“We believe that it is just a matter of days or weeks... before we see New World screwworm in Texas.”
With the latest detection just across the border, animal health officials on both sides are intensifying efforts to contain the outbreak before it spreads further north.
Sen. Roger Marshall, a founding member and chairman of the Make America Healthy Again caucus, joined us with his thoughts on the commission’s latest report and the key ag-related issues.
“Continue to help us push the New World screwworm back to the Darién Gap and hopefully towards eradication.”
The Cotton Jassid previously detected in Georgia has now made its way to the Lone Star State.
“I don’t think we’re going to see cattle coming across the border at all because of that increase in their cases in Mexico.”