Texas Democrats demand answers from USDA as concerns grow over resurgence of New World screwworm

Houston, Texas – A group of Texas Democrats led by Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher is demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the growing threat posed by the New World screwworm, a pest that has recently reappeared in Texas and neighboring areas after decades of successful eradication efforts.

Fletcher and members of the Texas Democratic delegation sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins requesting a congressional briefing on the federal government’s response plans and the resources being dedicated to stopping the pest’s spread.

The lawmakers warned that the resurgence of the New World screwworm could have serious consequences for Texas agriculture, particularly because the state leads the nation in cattle production and also ranks among the top producers of pork, sheep, goats, and horses.

In their letter, the members stressed the importance of maintaining strong federal programs that protect livestock from dangerous pests and diseases.

“For the past several decades, our country has remained relatively pest-free thanks to the dedicated work of federal staff and experts at the USDA and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) tasked with addressing infectious pests and diseases,” the members wrote.

Concerns raised about staffing cuts and program reductions

The lawmakers expressed concern that staffing reductions and the elimination of certain federal programs may have weakened the nation’s ability to respond quickly to the screwworm threat.

According to the letter, more than 15,000 USDA employees were reportedly terminated last year, including over 1,300 employees within APHIS. The lawmakers also pointed to the elimination of more than 5,300 foreign assistance grants and programs through the Department of Government Efficiency, including one focused on monitoring and containing New World screwworm migration in Central America.

The delegation questioned whether those changes affected federal detection and response efforts.

“Despite the historic success of the United States’ program to eradicate the screwworm, our ranchers and livestock experts feared it would return,” the members continued. “We must make every effort to contain the current outbreak and once again eradicate this pest from the United States.”

The lawmakers specifically requested information about the effects of staffing reductions, plans to hire additional personnel, and whether federal strategy changed after the pest reportedly moved within 100 miles of the southern U.S. border.

Economic concerns for Texas livestock producers

The request comes as officials continue monitoring new cases linked to the outbreak.

According to the letter, the first recent Texas case involved a three-week-old calf in Zavala County. Since then, additional cases have been identified in Texas and New Mexico.

Lawmakers noted that the economic stakes are significant. They cited estimates showing that a widespread screwworm outbreak could cost Texas livestock producers approximately $732 million annually and generate total economic losses of roughly $1.8 billion each year in Texas alone.

The delegation also argued that many ranchers are already facing financial pressures from rising fuel and fertilizer costs, weather challenges, limited access to credit, and historically low cattle herd numbers.

Questions about containment efforts and future plans

Another major concern involves the production of sterile screwworm flies, a key tool used for decades to eliminate the pest.

The lawmakers stated that experts have previously estimated that approximately 700 million sterile flies must be released each week to successfully contain and eradicate the pest. They noted that current production capacity is far lower, with a facility in Panama reportedly producing about 100 million sterile flies per week for the United States, Mexico, and Panama combined.

While the delegation welcomed USDA’s recent groundbreaking for a new $750 million sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas, they noted that the facility is not expected to begin operations until November 2027.

In their request, lawmakers asked USDA to provide detailed information regarding coordination with state officials, local governments, ranchers, livestock producers, entomologists, and international partners. They also requested details about federal assistance available to producers, alternative technologies being considered, potential expansion of sterile fly production, and the reasoning behind quarantine and surveillance decisions following the initial Texas case.

Along with Fletcher, the request was signed by Texas Representatives Greg Casar, Joaquin Castro, Jasmine Crockett, Henry Cuellar, Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Sylvia Garcia, Vicente Gonzalez, Al Green, Julie Johnson, Christian Menefee, and Marc Veasey.

The lawmakers said they hope to work with federal officials to contain the outbreak, protect livestock producers, and prevent the New World screwworm from becoming a larger threat to Texas agriculture and the nation’s food supply.