US - USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States - June 3, 2026

[sharon sanders]

From:
"APHIS Stakeholder Registry" <aphis@subscribers.usda.gov>
To: "FluTrackers" <flutrackers@earthlink.net>
Subject: USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States
Date: Jun 3, 2026 8:32 PM

Contact: APHISpress@usda.gov USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States Animal Health Officials Working Quickly to Protect U.S. Livestock and Wildlife WASHINGTON, DC- JUNE 03, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of a New World screwworm (NWS) in a bovine in Zavala County, Texas. NWS is a serious pest that affects livestock, pets, wildlife, and less commonly, people and birds. NWS larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of living animals, causing serious damage to livestock and economic losses. The affected animal is a 3-week-old calf and larvae were identified in its umbilical area. To date, there have been no further detections. “All models showed New World Screwworm entering the country in 2025; however, thanks to the hard work across the entire Trump administration and our industry, state, and local partners, we were able to buy time for this moment. Protecting our livestock industry is a national security issue of the utmost importance, and USDA is wasting no time in taking action,” said Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “USDA invested heavily in the tools needed to eliminate NWS ever since cases started increasing in Central America and Mexico. The United States has defeated this pest before, and we will do it again.” USDA and Texas officials are taking immediate action to contain and eradicate NWS from the United States, following the strategies and actions outlined in the NWS Response Playbook. This includes: Forming a unified Incident Command Team with the Texas Animal Health Commission and deploying response personnel to the area; Establishing a 20 km infested zone around the detection and implementing quarantines, movement controls, and surveillance in this area; Expediting targeted release of sterile NWS flies by immediately deploying ground release chambers in the area, in addition to the 4 million sterile flies per week already being released aerially in the area; Increasing trapping for NWS flies along the border and just outside of the dispersal area; Implementing NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife; and Conducting targeted outreach in the local area. Additionally, USDA’s National Veterinary Stockpile stands ready to assist, and will provide resources including treatments, equipment, and logistics support the response as needed. USDA will continue to work with state departments of agriculture, animal health officials, industry, and producers to mitigate economic impacts of restrictions as much as possible, including negotiating with our trading partners to regionalize any trade restrictions on live animals, limiting them to defined geographic areas. NWS maggots can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including in rare cases people. They most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh. USDA urges residents in the area to check their pets and livestock for signs of NWS. Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infected with screwworm, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian in charge immediately. While not common in people, if you notice a suspicious lesion on your body or suspect you may have contracted screwworm, seek immediate medical attention. The U.S. food supply is safe. Screwworms do not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food sources. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe and properly labeled. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), FSIS inspection personnel must inspect all eligible animal species unless they are exempt or covered by a state inspection program. Any evidence of screwworm infestation in an animal would be identified during these inspections, and any contaminated product from an affected animal would not be allowed to enter the food supply. For more than a year, USDA has led a unified response to NWS. As the lead coordinating agency, USDA has deployed advanced surveillance systems and supported robust cross-border response efforts in Mexico and Central America to combat the pest and push NWS away from the United States. These efforts have bought time for USDA to increase domestic preparedness efforts. Learn more about New World screwworm at Screwworm.gov.

[sharon sanders]

hat tip google for the map


Zavala County, Texas is near 2 states in Mexico with current New World screwworm outbreaks (Coahuila and Nuevo Leon). See dotted area for the county lines.

[sharon sanders]

Please see:

Mexico - New World Screwworm (NWS) outbreak 2025-2026

Our New World Screwworm forum here.

[sharon sanders]

media call happened

[Michael Coston]

USDA: USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States






#19,188

The New World Screwworm (NWS aka Cochliomyia hominivorax) - which was eliminated in the United States during the 1960s - is a flesh-eating parasitic fly that lays its eggs in the open wounds of warm-blooded animals (often cattle and deer, but occasionally humans).

Unlike most fly maggots, which feed on dead tissue, NWS larva consume and burrow into live tissue, causing substantial morbidity and mortality. (See ASM 2025 Review New World Screwworm: Rise, Fall and Resurgence).

During the 1980s, eradication efforts - primarily utilizing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) - expanded NWS elimination southward through Mexico and Central America, to the Darien Gap in Panama where for many years (starting in 1996) the line was held.

But in 2023, the number of screwworm detections in Panama surged from a few dozen to thousands, and the infestation began moving northward again. While likely due to a myriad of reasons - including climate change and human migration - supply chain issues during the COVID pandemic is often cited as a factor.

Since then, the NWS has been moving north steadily, and has been reported getting closer to the U.S./Mexico border in recent months. In August of last year, the HHS reported a Singular Traveler-Associated New World Screwworm Case.

The USDA has produced its own projections of the economic impact of NWS (in 2024), which finds it could cost Texas farmers nearly 2 billion dollars a year.

Not unexpectedly, last night the USDA announced the first detection of NWS on a farm in Southern Texas. While this is not a big public health concern, should it spread widely, it could prove quite costly to the cattle industry.

Last night's announcement focuses primarily on reassuring the public (about food safety, and that authorities are responding aggressively). While serious, for now this remains a single detected incursion; not evidence of established transmission within the United States.

First the announcement from the USDA (h/t to Sharon Sanders on FT for the head's up), after which I'll have a bit more.

USDA Confirms Presence of New World Screwworm in the United States

Contact: aphispress@usda.gov

Animal Health Officials Working Quickly to Protect U.S. Livestock and Wildlife

WASHINGTON, DC, JUNE 03, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of a New World screwworm (NWS) in a bovine in Zavala County, Texas. NWS is a serious pest that affects livestock, pets, wildlife, and less commonly, people and birds. NWS larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of living animals, causing serious damage to livestock and economic losses.

The affected animal is a 3-week-old calf and larvae were identified in its umbilical area. To date, there have been no further detections.

“All models showed New World Screwworm entering the country in 2025; however, thanks to the hard work across the entire Trump administration and our industry, state, and local partners, we were able to buy time for this moment. Protecting our livestock industry is a national security issue of the utmost importance, and USDA is wasting no time in taking action,” said Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “USDA invested heavily in the tools needed to eliminate NWS ever since cases started increasing in Central America and Mexico. The United States has defeated this pest before, and we will do it again.”

USDA and Texas officials are taking immediate action to contain and eradicate NWS from the United States, following the strategies and actions outlined in the NWS Response Playbook. This includes:

• Forming a unified Incident Command Team with the Texas Animal Health Commission and deploying response personnel to the area;
• Establishing a 20 km infested zone around the detection and implementing quarantines, movement controls, and surveillance in this area;
• Expediting targeted release of sterile NWS flies by immediately deploying ground release chambers in the area, in addition to the 4 million sterile flies per week already being released aerially in the area;
• Increasing trapping for NWS flies along the border and just outside of the dispersal area;
• Implementing NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife; and
• Conducting targeted outreach in the local area.

Additionally, USDA’s National Veterinary Stockpile stands ready to assist, and will provide resources including treatments, equipment, and logistics support the response as needed.

USDA will continue to work with state departments of agriculture, animal health officials, industry, and producers to mitigate economic impacts of restrictions as much as possible, including negotiating with our trading partners to regionalize any trade restrictions on live animals, limiting them to defined geographic areas.

NWS maggots can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including in rare cases people. They most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh.

USDA urges residents in the area to check their pets and livestock for signs of NWS. Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infected with screwworm, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian in charge immediately.

While not common in people, if you notice a suspicious lesion on your body or suspect you may have contracted screwworm, seek immediate medical attention.

The U.S. food supply is safe. Screwworms do not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food sources. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe and properly labeled. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), FSIS inspection personnel must inspect all eligible animal species unless they are exempt or covered by a state inspection program.

Any evidence of screwworm infestation in an animal would be identified during these inspections, and any contaminated product from an affected animal would not be allowed to enter the food supply.

For more than a year, USDA has led a unified response to NWS. As the lead coordinating agency, USDA has deployed advanced surveillance systems and supported robust cross-border response efforts in Mexico and Central America to combat the pest and push NWS away from the United States. These efforts have bought time for USDA to increase domestic preparedness efforts.

Learn more about New World screwworm at Screwworm.gov.

All this comes at a particularly bad time, since U.S. cattle inventories are already at their lowest level in decades (due to prolonged droughts and high feed costs), and beef prices are at record highs.

As we've seen previously, the introduction (or reintroduction) of agricultural and human diseases can be difficult to contain. A few examples include:

• the introduction and spread of West Nile Virus in 1999
• the return of Dengue to South Florida after 7 decades
• the post-2000-elimination resurgence of Measlesin the U.S. and Canada
• the expansion of Lyme disease across the nation
• and the inexorable spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in North American cervids

The good news is the USDA has known this day was coming, and has been actively preparing for it. Last April, the USDA released an Updated New World Screwworm Response Playbook, and in January announced the Completion of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Texas.

With a little luck, this breach can be contained.

But as long as the NWS continues to circulate in Mexico, future incursions are all but inevitable. And with all such border interdictions, the defender must succeed 100% time, while the invader only has to succeed once.


https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2026/...ce-of-new.html

[Pathfinder]

New World Screwworm Confirmed in Zavala County Calf

June 3, 2026

Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030

AUSTIN — On June 3 the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) received confirmation of a detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Zavala County. A sample collected from a three-week-old calf with an umbilical lesion was identified and confirmed as NWS by the National Veterinary Servies Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. There are currently no further detections in animals in Texas.

This is the first detection of NWS in Texas since northward progression from Central America was observed in 2023. TPWD is working closely with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and other state officials in a joint incident response. TAHC has established an infested zone in the area, and animal movement restrictions are in effect to prevent further spread of the pest.

“NWS can have devastating impacts on free-ranging wildlife populations and rural communities," said Dr. David Yoskowitz, Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. "TPWD, in partnership with our state and federal partners, will work diligently to respond to suspected cases of NWS, and to urge the public to monitor and report signs of an infestation in warm-blooded animals.”

“TAHC has been actively preparing for a resurgence of NWS for over two years,” said Dr. Bud Dinges, TAHC state veterinarian and executive director. “We are putting these preparations into action, and we encourage all animal owners and caretakers to continue to remain vigilant for the presence of larvae in animal wounds and immediately report any suspicions.”

According to the USDA, the U.S. food supply is safe. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe and properly labeled. NWS do not infest fruits, vegetables, or other food sources such as grains and rice.

NWS are larvae or maggots of the NWS fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax), that cause the painful condition NWS myiasis. NWS flies lay eggs in open wounds or orifices of live tissue. These eggs hatch into dangerous parasitic larvae, or maggots, which burrow or "screw" into flesh with sharp mouth hooks. NWS primarily infest livestock, but can also affect pets, humans, and wildlife including wild mammals and birds.

Targeted releases of sterile NWS flies are being expedited to eliminate any reproducing populations in the area associated with the detection. When combined with enhanced surveillance, movement restrictions, prompt treatment of wounds, and education and outreach efforts, the sterile insect technique is a proven and effective tool for controlling and eradicating this pest.

In addition to frequently monitoring animals, producers should implement enhanced management practices including keeping open wounds clean and covered. Animals infested with NWS should be immediately treated with an appropriate method under the direction of a veterinarian. If you suspect NWS in your livestock or domestic animals, contact the TAHC immediately and do not move any animals. A representative will advise you on current collection protocols for submitting suspicious maggots. Contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for wildlife infestation information and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for human infestation information.

Learn more about New World screwworm at screwworm.gov.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/releases/?req=20260603c

[Pathfinder]

Commissioner Miller: First Suspected New World Screwworm Case in Texas

Demands Use of All Available Tools to End Threat (6/3/2026)

Calls on President Trump to deploy SWASS to protect American agriculture

AUSTIN — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today responded to the first suspected case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Texas, criticizing the United States Department of Agriculture for what he called a slow, bureaucratic, and incomplete response that allowed the pest to advance unchecked through Mexico and reach American soil.

"For months, the screwworm has advanced rapidly through Mexico in spite of the USDA’s existing gameplan,” Miller said. “Even though billions of sterile flies have been dispersed by USDA, the screwworm has still advanced over 1100 miles from southern Mexico to Texas, and USDA has missed an important component. Now that it appears the first screwworm has arrived in Texas, the consequences of that decision are now staring us in the face."

As a result, Commissioner Miller is now urging President Trump to direct USDA to immediately deploy the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a proven technology developed by USDA scientists and successfully used during previous eradication campaigns. SWASS uses attractants, bait, and targeted, EPA-approved insecticides to dramatically reduce adult screwworm populations, allowing sterile fly releases to finish the job. For more than a year, the Texas Department of Agriculture has and will continue to stand ready to fast-track approval of the use of SWASS in Texas.

“SWASS was developed by USDA, tested by USDA, and successfully deployed by USDA to eradicate screwworm in Mexico and Texas when it last appeared. USDA already owns the playbook; the only question is whether USDA will use it before this situation gets worse," Miller said.

"Mr. President, I am asking you to take direct control of this response. Cut through the bureaucracy, deploy SWASS immediately, and throw every available federal resource at this threat before it becomes a full-blown agricultural disaster."

"I personally provided research and the SWASS bait formula to Secretary Rollins and her team on three separate occasions while the screwworm continued its northward trek to Texas. Instead of using every available tool, USDA moved too slowly and relied solely on a partial solution that takes years to fully implement.”

Commissioner Miller called on the Trump Administration to immediately:

• Authorize and fund a comprehensive SWASS deployment program across South Texas, the U.S.-Mexico border region, and other high-risk areas.

• Establish a joint U.S.-Mexico task force to coordinate aerial and ground suppression efforts on both sides of the border.

• Rapidly scale up SWASS pellet production and distribution using modern formulations and existing manufacturing capacity.

• Expand surveillance, trapping, inspections, and rapid-response teams to ensure every suspected case is detected and treated immediately.

• Continue aggressive expansion of sterile fly production facilities while simultaneously deploying SWASS as a bridge strategy rather than waiting years for new facilities to come online.

• Declare New World Screwworm a national agricultural emergency and marshal every available federal resource toward eradication.

The New World screwworm is one of the most destructive livestock and wildlife pests in history. Unlike common flies, screwworm larvae feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, causing severe injury, infection, and death if left untreated. A widespread outbreak could devastate Texas ranchers, wildlife populations, companion animals, and the broader agricultural economy.

Texas producers and pet owners are encouraged to immediately report suspicious wounds or signs of screwworm infestation to their veterinarian, the Texas Animal Health Commission, USDA officials, or the Texas Department of Agriculture at 800-TELL-TDA.

###

https://texasagriculture.gov/News-Events/News-Events-Details/Article/11929/Commissioner-Miller-First-Suspected-New-World-Screwworm-Case-in-Texas-Demands-U

----------------------------------------------------
See also:

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/emerging-diseases-other-health-threats-alphabetical-i-thru-z/screwworm/1026907-texas-commissioner-miller-calls-for-vigilance-after-latest-new-world-screwworm-detection-in-mexico-december-31-2025

[Pathfinder]

New World Screwworms

NOTICE: There is currently a quarantine in place due to an established New World Screwworm Infested Zone in the Zavala and Uvalde County areas.
According to the Executive Director Order issued on June 3, 2026, all warm-blooded animals in this zone may not move out of the zone without prior authorization from the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC).

View the zone map.

Additional guidance to move warm-blooded animals outside of Infested Zone 01 will be provided here. In general, the animal must be inspected and treated as required by the TAHC and issued a permit or certificate for movement by a TAHC representative.

Due to the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Zavala County the area defined in the Executive Director Order is designated as Infested Zone 01.

• 06/03 TAHC Executive Order
• USDA NWS Best Practices for Evaluation of Animals

Current Background

• On June 3, 2026, New World screwworm (NWS) was confirmed in a calf in Zavala County, Texas.
• Federal and State partners work jointly in the infested zone to conduct animal and fly surveillance, epidemiological investigations, and implement existing response protocols.
• In Central America, cases of NWS have quickly increased since 2023, expanding to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador.
• In November 2024, NWS was detected in a cow at an inspection checkpoint in Chiapas, Mexico. Progressive Northern spread of NWS has been confirmed in Mexico since the original detection.
• NWS was eradicated from the United States in 1966 using the sterile insect technique. Sterile fly dispersal efforts, including ground release and aerial dispersals, to eradicate NWS are underway in affected areas.
• The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the regulatory agency responsible for ensuring the nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe and properly labeled. Any evidence of screwworm infection would be identified during FSIS inspection processes, and adulterated product derived from the affected animal would not be allowed to go into commerce.
• Livestock and pet owners can help avoid infestations of NWS by staying vigilant, monitoring animals, and reporting any suspicions of NWS flies, maggots, larvae, and secondary infections.

• NWS International and National Outbreak Information
• Federal Government Resources

Pest Information

New World screwworms (NWS) are larvae or maggots of the NWS fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax), that cause the painful condition NWS myiasis. NWS flies lay eggs in open wounds or orifices of live tissue. These eggs hatch into dangerous parasitic larvae, and the maggots burrow or screw into flesh with sharp mouth hooks. The wound can become larger, and an infestation can often cause serious, deadly damage. NWS primarily infest livestock, but can also affect mammals, including humans, and birds.

There are several flies associated with wounds, but only NWS feed on living tissues, compared to dead tissues and fluids. The identification of NWS is done by larvae collection and evaluation. NWS larvae have a series of backwardly protruding spines around a tapered body, giving a screw-like appearance, helping to identify the pest.

• General Information
• TAHC New World Screwworm Fact Sheet
  ▶ En español
• USDA New World Screwworm Webpage

Eradication Method


Eradication of NWS infestations is accomplished through the sterile insect technique. Sterilized male flies are released to mate in an area with an established NWS population. Females, only mating once in their lifetime, then lay nonviable eggs. The population decreases without the addition of new larvae and dies off naturally over a few lifecycles.

In combination with producer management practices, effective and efficient treatment of wounds, and diligent response tactics, the sterile insect technique is a proven tool for fighting the spread of NWS. According to the USDA, the release of sterile flies is safe and poses no risk to wildlife, livestock, or people in infested areas.

• TAHC Sterile Insect Technique Brochure
  ▶ En español
• USDA Sterile Insect Technique Brochure

Texas Current Situation

Current Statewide Situation

June 3, 2026: NWS confirmation in Zavala County, three-week-old calf with an umbilical lesion

There are currently no further confirmed detections in animals in Texas. Additional detections or updated information will be provided in the form of situation updates posted to this page and social media.

Contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) for wildlife infestation information and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for human infestation information.

https://www.tahc.texas.gov/emergency/nws.html

[Pathfinder]

United States of America - Cochliomyia hominivorax (Inf. with) (New world screwworm) - Immediate notification
...
START DATE
2026/06/02
...
REPORT DATE
2026/06/04
...
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of a New World screwworm (NWS) in a bovine in Zavala County, Texas. This is the first detection of New World screwworm in the United States of America since 2017. USDA in conjunction with State Animal Health Officials, are conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation and taking immediate action to contain and eradicate NWS from the United States. Further information on current status of NWS in the United States can be found at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/node/1050...-status?page=1
...
https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7596

[Treyfish]

Governor Abbott Issues New World Screwworm Disaster Proclamation In June 2026

June 5, 2026 | Austin, Texas |Proclamation

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

WHEREAS, the New World screwworm (NWS), also known as Cochliomyia hominivorax, is a parasitic fly primarily found in South America, Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic; and

WHEREAS, NWS larvae infest and feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, including livestock and wildlife, which can cause serious and deadly damage to an animal; and

WHEREAS, NWS has spread from Panama into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, Mexico, and now Texas; and

WHEREAS, on November 22, 2024, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Mexico notified the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of a positive detection of NWS in Mexico; and

WHEREAS, on November 22, 2024, USDA suspended cattle and bison imports from Mexico after a positive detection of NWS in southern Mexico; and

WHEREAS, on February 1, 2025, USDA resumed the import of cattle and bison from Mexico after USDA and Mexico agreed to, and implemented, a comprehensive pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol to ensure safe movement and mitigate the threat of NWS; and

WHEREAS, on May 11, 2025, USDA suspended live cattle, horse, and bison imports from Mexico after NWS was detected in Central Mexico, about 700 miles from the Texas border; and

WHEREAS, on June 18, 2025, USDA announced a five-prong plan to address NWS, including the launch of an $8.5 million sterile NWS fly dispersal facility in South Texas to aid in eliminating any presence of the pest in Mexico in close proximity to the U.S. southern border; and

WHEREAS, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of the State of Texas, on June 25, 2025, directed the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to establish a joint Texas New World Screwworm Response Team to lead Texas’ prevention and response efforts, ensure that Texas remains informed, prepared, and aligned to prevent the spread of this destructive parasite, and to serve as “the central hub for coordination, information-sharing, and stakeholder engagement among state, federal, and industry partners;” and

WHEREAS, on July 9, 2025, USDA halted a phased channeling strategy for reopening ports for the importation of cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico and suspended all livestock trade through southern ports of entry after receiving reports of NWS in Ixhuatlán de Madero, Veracruz, Mexico—approximately 370 miles from the southern border; and

WHEREAS, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of the State of Texas, on August 15, 2025, alongside USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, announced a $750 million USDA investment in a new Domestic Sterile Screwworm Production Facility in Edinburg, Texas, with capacity to produce 300 million sterile flies per week to combat the northward spread of NWS; and

WHEREAS, on September 21, 2025, USDA reported a new case of NWS in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Mexico, less than 70 miles from the southern border; and

WHEREAS, on October 17, 2025, USDA released its NWS Response Playbook, which, in part, outlines strategies for federal, state, and local governments to coordinate response and communications related to NWS, and to prevent and contain outbreaks of NWS, including through NWS surveillance and management strategies; and

WHEREAS, on November 21, 2025, USDA launched screwworm.gov to centralize NWS information across the federal government, including up-to-date information on verified NWS reports, official response activities taken in U.S. preparedness efforts, resources for livestock producers, veterinarians, animal health officials, healthcare providers, and the general public; and

WHEREAS, on January 29, 2026, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, issued, and renewed every thirty days thereafter, a disaster proclamation certifying under Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code that the spread of New World screwworm threatened Texas’ livestock industry and economy and posed an imminent threat of widespread and severe property damage for all Texas counties, and authorized the use of all available resources of state government to cope with this disaster, and allocated state resources to address the spread of NWS to the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team, headed by TAHC and TPWD; and

WHEREAS, on February 9, 2026, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, alongside USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, announced the grand opening of the Moore Air Base NWS Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility; and

WHEREAS, on May 27, 2026, the USDA Agricultural Research Service opened the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory to provide the U.S. cattle industry with innovative tools and advanced technologies to manage and eliminate invasive fly and tick pests that threaten the U.S. cattle industry in Kerrville, Texas; and

WHEREAS, as of May 29, 2026, more than 8,000 fly traps have been placed along the Southern Border, more than 58,000 fly samples have been tested, and more than 19,000 wildlife specimens have been inspected by state and federal partners; and

WHEREAS, on May 31, 2026, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins deployed an APHIS Strike Team to south Texas to enhance sterile fly release chambers, place additional traps, and engage in targeted outreach in high focus areas; and

WHEREAS, on June 3, 2026, NWS was detected in a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, and in response, USDA, TAHC, and Texas response partners initiated unified incident command operations, increased surveillance and trapping activities, and accelerated sterile fly releases to contain and eradicate the pest; and

WHEREAS, on June 3, 2026, TAHC also established a 20-kilometer infested zone with quarantine and movement controls for warm-blooded animals and carcasses in Uvalde and Zavala Counties; and

WHEREAS, TAHC, as the lead agency tasked under the Agriculture Code and Government Code with monitoring and combatting diseases and agents like NWS that could affect livestock, has met weekly with USDA to coordinate federal and state response efforts; and

WHEREAS, TAHC has participated in 294 speaking engagements with industry groups, local and state government officials, and the public to spread awareness of NWS, hosted veterinary specific education events, and reached approximately 455,000 individuals through digital platform initiatives; and

WHEREAS, the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team has coordinated state response plan priorities across wildlife and livestock sectors, has facilitated information sharing and notifications of key preparedness and current event announcements, and has strategized effective preparedness and response measures to safeguard Texans and maintain continuity of business while effectively responding to the threat posed by NWS; and

WHEREAS, the recent migration of NWS into Texas presents an imminent threat or occurrence of widespread danger and injury to the Texas agricultural industry; and

WHEREAS, Section 418.011, Texas Government Code, statutorily empowers the Governor to meet “the dangers to the state and people presented by disasters”; and

WHEREAS, Section 418.004(1), Texas Government Code, defines “disaster” as “the occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe … loss of life or property resulting from any natural or man‑made cause, including … infestation … [or] other public calamity requiring emergency action”; and

WHEREAS, Section 418.014, Texas Government Code, authorizes “[t]he governor, by executive order or proclamation,” to “declare a state of disaster if the governor finds… that the … threat of disaster is imminent”; and

WHEREAS, Section 418.012, Texas Government Code, authorizes the Governor to issue proclamations that have the force and effect of law; and

WHEREAS, Section 418.016, Texas Government Code, authorizes the Governor to “suspend the provisions of any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business or the orders or rules of a state agency if strict compliance with the provisions, orders, or rules would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with a disaster”; and

WHEREAS, Section 418.017, Texas Government Code, authorizes the Governor to “temporarily reassign resources, personnel, or functions of state executive departments and agencies or their units for the purpose of performing and facilitating emergency services”; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, do hereby certify that the spread of NWS northward from Mexico into Texas threatens Texas’ wildlife and livestock industry and economy and poses an imminent threat or occurrence of widespread and severe property damage, and pursuant to Section 418.014, Texas Government Code, do hereby declare a state of disaster for all Texas counties.

Pursuant to Section 418.017, Texas Government Code, I authorize the use of all available resources of state government and of all political subdivisions that are reasonably necessary to cope with this disaster, and temporarily reassign any such resources that could be allocated to address the spread of NWS to the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team, which shall prioritize such resources for Zavala and Uvalde Counties first.

Pursuant to Sections 418.012 and 418.016, Texas Government Code, any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business or any order or rule of a state agency that would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with this disaster shall be suspended or superseded upon written approval of the Office of the Governor. However, to the extent the enforcement of any state statute or administrative rule regarding contracting or procurement would impede any state agency’s emergency response that is necessary to protect life or property threatened by this declared disaster, I hereby authorize the suspension or superseding of such statutes and rules for the duration of this declared disaster.

In accordance with the statutory requirements, copies of this proclamation shall be filed with the applicable authorities.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 5th day of June, 2026.



GREG ABBOTT

Governor



ATTESTED BY:



JANE NELSON

Secretary of State



View the Governor's proclamation.

https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-issues-new-world-screwworm-disaster-proclamation-in-june-2026