Texas secures immediate federal funding to hire livestock inspectors and fight ongoing New World screwworm out

Texas has secured immediate federal funding to hire additional livestock inspectors and reinforce its field operations against an ongoing outbreak of the parasitic New World screwworm, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Wednesday.

Federal Funding Secured

The funding comes through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The money will allow the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to add 15 term positions, including 10 field inspectors alongside emergency management and epidemiology specialists, to expand containment efforts.

What they're saying:

"Texas will take every action necessary to safeguard our livestock producers and agricultural economy from the New World screwworm," Abbott said in a statement. "This federal funding allows us to place more inspectors in the field and bolster our state response."

Severe Agricultural Threat

The New World screwworm is the larval stage of a fly that infests the warm-blooded tissue of living animals, entering through open wounds. Left untreated, infestations can be fatal to livestock, pets, and wildlife, posing a severe threat to the state's multibillion-dollar agricultural sector.

The federal funding follows a series of emergency steps taken by state and federal officials after the first confirmed cases of the pest were detected in Texas. Abbott previously issued a statewide disaster declaration, activated the State Emergency Operations Center, and mobilized a joint Texas NWS Response Team bringing together state agencies, veterinarians, and wildlife experts.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the agency has moved "at lightning speed" to eliminate the threat to the domestic livestock industry.

"Today’s announcement will help us ensure we have ample strategies and resources to identify and combat this pest," Rollins said.

The response has also drawn massive infrastructure investments. Abbott and Rollins recently announced a $750 million investment to construct a new sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. The sterile insect technique is a primary biological control method used to disrupt the pest's reproductive cycle and eradicate populations.

Additionally, state officials have launched a free online training course to certify more independent screwworm inspectors across the state in an effort to keep livestock shipments moving safely through commerce.

Public Vigilance Urged

What you can do:

Authorities are urging Texas livestock producers, pet owners, and hunters to remain highly vigilant, inspect animals regularly for open wounds, and refrain from moving any potentially affected animals. Suspected cases in livestock or pets should be reported immediately to the TAHC’s 24-hour veterinarian line at 1-800-550-8242, while suspected cases in wildlife should be directed to Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists at 512-389-4505.

TexasPets and AnimalsGreg AbbottHealth