Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins visited the Texas A&M Beef Center this week, where she gave a briefing on surveillance and strategies to prevent New World Screwworm in American livestock.
She says tackling the issue is imperative, and the road ahead will be a long one.
“There is no doubt that the potential devastating consequences of not getting this under control, I think, are beyond what many of us can even imagine, because it was really our grandfathers and grandfathers of all of these cattle ranchers that are standing behind me. They are the ones who had the institutional knowledge that knew how to battle this 40, 50, 60 years ago. So we have a whole new generation now of cattle raisers and veterinarians and others that haven’t really had to lean into this in our lifetime. So we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Buck Wehrbein, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and a cattle feeder, stressed the importance of keeping international protocols in place.
“I was in Washington last week, and we went to the Mexican Embassy, and in no uncertain and very strenuous terms, impressed upon them the importance of their doing their part. We’re all working on this together. The Panamanians are working on it, they’re working on it, and we’re working on it. The Mexican government did a great job on the border and getting protocols in place where we could start crossing cattle again, which they’re a big part of our program in the United States, and being short on cattle, we need them actually. So, they did a really good job with that, but they need to continue that with, as I said, these planes landing and allowing that process to go. It will work, and we know what to do, they just need to let it happen.”
New World Screwworm has been eradicated in the U.S. since the 1970s.
November 26, 2025 10:41 AM
Strong yields and higher cattle prices helped stabilize conditions, but weak crop prices and rising carryover debt remain major challenges for Eleventh District farmers.
November 25, 2025 02:55 PM
·
Jake Charleston, with Specialty Risk Insurance, joins us now for an industry update and advice for cattle producers as they consider options for managing the risks of a murky market.
November 25, 2025 01:26 PM
·
The National Milk Producers Federation will launch a new advocacy campaign to secure a final vote, urging House lawmakers to approve the bill as soon as they return from the Thanksgiving recess.
November 25, 2025 01:09 PM
·
Tyson’s Nebraska plant closure and falling Cattle on Feed numbers send cattle markets tumbling. Analysts warn of tighter supplies, weak margins, and rising global competition.
November 25, 2025 12:05 PM
·
One trader said the products entering the U.S. are primarily grind and trim, noting that the volume and type of beef, on its own, should not cause a major disruption. However, he says fund traders are reacting heavily to headlines rather than market realities.
November 24, 2025 02:42 PM
·
According to November’s Cattle on Feed Report, Nebraska now leads the nation in cattle feeding as tighter supplies continue to reshape regional market power and long-term price dynamics.
November 24, 2025 11:47 AM
·
Tyson’s closure reflects deep supply shortages in the U.S. cattle industry, tightening packing capacity, weakening competition, and signaling more volatility ahead for cow-calf producers and feedyards.
November 21, 2025 07:02 PM
·
Screwworm.gov has targeted resources for a wide range of stakeholders, including livestock producers, veterinarians, animal health officials, wildlife professionals, healthcare providers, pet owners, researchers, drug manufacturers, and the general public.
November 21, 2025 02:09 PM
·
