There is some good news and bad news when it comes to recent New World screwworm prevention

Earlier this week USDA announced the strategic reopening of ports to cattle, bison, and equine imports from Mexico.

U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says that USDA will be on the ground in Mexico and that reopening could start as soon as July 7th at the Douglas Arizona Port Facility.

Oklahoma state veterinarian, Dr. Rod Hall penned an update on New World Screwworm efforts to his own state’s constituents sharing both good and bad news.

He says that the good news is no new cases of the pest in Mexico’s southern states have been discovered since early May.
Also, Mexico is now allowing sterile fly dispersion flight seven days a week.

However, the bad news is that cattle moving from Central America, where New World screwworm is still prevalent, are still moving to feedyards in northern Mexico.

Hall worries that poor mitigation efforts will allow flies to make their way just south of the U.S./Mexico border.

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“USDA can no longer keep wasting its time and personnel to deploy Commissioner Miller’s infamous traps, which USDA has deployed, tested, and has proven ineffective.”
“Good flies? Is that like a good fire ant?” Miller said. “I don’t know what a good fly is. I don’t know if they’re afraid to kill house flies or stable flies, but I’m ready to kill the screwworm fly.”
Large animal veterinarian Dr. Rosalyn Biggs with Oklahoma State University warns producers may not be prepared for the real threat of New World Screwworm.
Mexico’s tougher, two-step treatment and added checkpoints are catching cases before they can spread—good news for producers near the border.
Fewer placements and historically low marketings point to tighter cattle supplies ahead, with Nebraska and Kansas gaining ground as Texas feedlots face supply pressure and the threat of New World Screwworm.
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.”

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