Bill Aims to Protect Texas Livestock from Screwworm Threat
A bill introduced in Congress aims to safeguard livestock and wildlife in Texas and the U.S. from the New World screwworm, a destructive pest that once devastated ranches across the southern U.S.
U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) authored the New World Screwworm Preparedness Act to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a comprehensive study on screwworm surveillance and prevention efforts. The bill also requires USDA to recommend improvements that would strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to a potential outbreak.
“As the threat of the New World screwworm rises, it is critical we remain prepared to eradicate the threat before the Texas livestock industry is severely impacted,” De La Cruz said. “Texas successfully eradicated this parasite before. I am committed to finding solutions to cut off this pest early to protect our livestock and local economy.”
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly that lays eggs in open wounds of warm-blooded animals. Its larvae feed on living tissue, causing severe injury or death. Though eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, the pest remains present in parts of Central and South America.
Recent detections of screwworms as far north as Veracruz, Mexico, which is less than 700 miles from the U.S. border, have raised alarms for ranchers and agricultural organizations.
Texas Farm Bureau supports De La Cruz’s bill and said it addresses concerns that farmers and ranchers face when protecting their livestock from disease and pests.
“Congresswoman De La Cruz has listened to the concerns of Texas Farm Bureau members and responded with commonsense solutions to protect our agricultural producers,” Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said. “We commend her swift action to introduce critical legislation that will help prevent the spread of this deadly parasite and prepare for future outbreaks across Texas.”
The bill’s original co-sponsors of the Texas Congressional delegation include U.S. Reps. Brian Babin, Chip Roy, August Pfluger, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Dan Crenshaw, Michael McCaul, Roger Williams, Troy Nehls, Jodey Arrington and Brandon Gill.
It was referred to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee on June 6.
Other legislative efforts underway to prevent the pest’s re-entry into the U.S. include De La Cruz’s recommendation for USDA to build a new sterile fly facility at the Moore Air Base in Hidalgo County. She said the location is ideal due to its existing infrastructure and proximity to the border.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) also introduced similar legislation in the Senate, the STOP Screwworms Act, that would authorize funding for a domestic sterile fly production facility.
Sterile male flies are a proven eradication strategy. The male screwworm flies are released into the wild, where they mate with female flies. Because the sterile males produce no viable offspring, the population gradually collapses. This method successfully eliminated the pest from the U.S. in the 1960s and has kept it at bay through a cooperative barrier program with Panama.
The U.S. suspended imports of live cattle, horses and bison from Mexico on May 11 due to the continued northward spread of the pest. Ongoing discussions between the two countries continue to assess progress on control efforts. The border will reopen to Mexican livestock imports when USDA determines the risk of screwworm introduction has been sufficiently mitigated.
View more information about the New World screwworm on TFB’s resource page.
