New World Screwworm Threatens US Agriculture Near Texas, Mexico Border

The New World screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into living tissue, poses a significant threat to livestock and other warm-blooded animals as it approaches the U.S.–Mexico border. Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening and other experts express concern over its potential economic impact, with estimates of losses reaching $1.8 billion in Texas alone, and emphasize the need for preventive measures and rapid response plans involving surveillance, treatment, and education. The University of Arizona's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is part of a national effort, in coordination with the USDA, to screen and manage the pest, while CDC monitors the outbreak spreading through Central America and Mexico. The USDA's five-part initiative includes stopping the pest's spread in Mexico, strengthening border protections, maximizing domestic readiness, expanding sterile insect release programs, and investing in research. Officials in New Mexico and other border states are preparing for possible infestations by educating the public and suspending cattle imports from Mexico. Experts stress that prevention remains the best strategy to avoid the labor-intensive and costly challenges of managing an outbreak in the U.S.