New World Screwworm

Inching Closer: New World Screwworm Now 52 Miles from Border

Fri, 29 May 2026 03:11:49 GMT

New World screwworm (NWS) continues to creep closer to the U.S.-Mexico border. According to Lyndsay Cole, chief of strategic communications NWS directorate for USDA-APHIS, Mexico has reported two new cases in Nuevo León that are about 52 miles away from the border and one was reported Wednesday about 55 miles away in Coahuila.

“There are no cases or suspect cases in the U.S.,” Cole stresses.

New World screwworm is NOT in the U.S. and @USDA continues to deploy proven technology and nationwide outreach to stay ahead of this pest and protect livestock, pets, wildlife, and people.

Preparedness starts with awareness, so get the facts: https://t.co/3qu43ITr1j pic.twitter.com/9Kpc3uxCdO
— USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (@USDA_APHIS) May 28, 2026

Current New World screwworm cases in Mexico as of May 28, 2026.

(USDA APHIS)

A Narrowing Buffer Zone

There are currently 2,072 active cases of NWS in Mexico. USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile insects per week in Mexico and along the U.S.-Mexico border and closely evaluates the location and circumstances of each new case. The sterile insect release area, or polygon, is adjusted as needed to maintain broad suppression and help prevent the pest from moving into the U.S.

(Lori Hays)

Early Detection: The Stench of Infestation

As NWS inches closer, industry leaders urge producers to shift from worry to action. Early detection, prompt reporting and treatment — backed by coordinated surveillance along the border — will be critical to keeping the treatable pest contained.

Producers who have dealt with the pest often describe it as a smell you’ll never forget , noting that the stench of a calf infested with NWS is often the first warning sign.

The prevention and treatment playbook is already taking shape. Prevention means fewer wounds, tighter calving windows, stronger parasite programs and more “eyeballs” on cattle, backed up by early reporting and a vet-guided treatment plan.

When cases do occur, today’s toolbox — from prescription pour-ons and emergency-use injectables — can limit the damage, as long as producers know how and when to use each tool.

Border Awareness: CBP Issues Traveler Warnings

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a public awareness campaign warning the South Texas traveling public about the threat of NWS on May 28. CBP Laredo Field Office developed an informational tearsheet in English and Spanish that advises about the threat of NWS and is distributing the tearsheet at the eight ports of entry from Brownsville to Del Rio, Texas, that comprise the Laredo Field Office area of responsibility.

“We are working to increase public awareness regarding New World screwworm so that the public can help prevent this invasive pest from reaching the U.S. and adversely affecting U.S. livestock and pets,” says Laredo Field Office Field Operations Director Donald R. Kusser. “By distributing these tearsheets and amplifying via social media, we are hoping to bring this message to the widest audience possible.”

NWS Resources

Visit Screwworm.gov for a wide range of stakeholder resources for livestock producers, veterinarians, animal health officials, wildlife professionals, healthcare providers, pet owners, researchers, drug manufacturers and the general public. It also has the latest USDA-verified information on cases and response activities in Mexico and U.S. preparedness efforts.

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What Products are Available to Prevent and Treat New World Screwworm?

Thu, 21 May 2026 19:22:05 GMT

New World Screwworm or Cochliomyia hominivorax is still south of the U.S. border, but the prevention and treatment playbook is already taking shape. Veterinarians, regulators and ranchers who’ve seen this pest up close keep coming back to the same point: you can’t treat your way out of screwworm.

Prevention means fewer wounds, tighter calving windows, stronger parasite programs and more “eyeballs” on cattle, backed up by early reporting and a vet‑guided treatment plan.

When cases do occur, today’s toolbox — from prescription pour‑ons and emergency‑use injectables — can limit the damage, as long as producers know how and when to use each tool.

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is working with animal drug sponsors to identify potential products and seeks to have them approved or otherwise authorized for the prevention or treatment of NWS myiasis. The agency has multiple regulatory pathways and access mechanisms to facilitate the availability of animal drugs for NWS.

Currently, FDA has conditionally approved two products for use with beef cattle. This list continues to grow as FDA approves products. For an up-to-date list you can visit the FDA website .

Animal Drugs Conditionally Approved by FDA for NWS

Dectomax-CA1 (doramectin injection) injectable solution: Prevention and treatment of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis), and prevention of reinfestation for 21 days in cattle.
Exzolt Cattle-CA1 (fluralaner) topical solution: Prevention and treatment of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) and treatment and control of cattle fever tick (Rhipicephalus microplus) in beef cattle 2 months of age and older and replacement dairy heifers less than 20 months of age.

Emergency Use Authorization of Animal Drugs for NWS

On Aug. 18, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a declaration enabling FDA to issue Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by NWS. This list continues to grow as FDA approves products and for an up-to-date list, you can visit the FDA website .

Here is the current list of products FDA has approved for emergency use:

Ivomec (ivermectin) injectable solution: Prevention of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) when administered within 24 hours of birth, at the time of castration, or at the appearance of a wound in cattle, except for female dairy cattle producing milk for human consumption and calves that will be processed for veal.
F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide (benzalkonium chloride, polyhexanide and cypermethrin topical solution): Prevention and treatment of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) in cattle, horses, minor species of hoof stock, raptors and other wild birds, pet birds, and captive wild, exotic and zoo mammals.
F10 Antiseptic Barrier Ointment with Insecticide (benzalkonium chloride, polyhexanide and cypermethrin topical ointment): Prevention and treatment of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) in cattle, horses, minor species of hoof stock, raptors and other wild birds, pet birds, and captive wild, exotic, and zoo mammals.
Negasunt Powder (coumaphos, propoxur, and sulfanilamide topical powder): Prevention and treatment of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) in cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, domestic hybrid equids, and captive wild, exotic, and zoo mammals. Negasunt is currently limited to USDA-authorized users and government agencies to prevent misuse.
Dectomax/Dectomax-CA1 (doramectin injection): Prevention and treatment of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) in dairy cattle (lactating dairy cows, dry dairy cows, replacement dairy heifers, 20 months of age and older) except for calves that will be processed for veal; and prevention of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) in horses 1 year and older, swine, sheep except lactating sheep and deer.

Prevention Options: Don’t Blanket Treat

When considering prevention, experts suggest the best option is to evaluate and adjust management practices compared to mass treating. They also encourage working with your veterinarian to make a plan.

“You may want to reevaluate with your veterinarian your integrated pest management as far as what you’re doing for ticks, and what you’re doing for the fly control and things where you might have more wounds, and that’s what you want to minimize if it does indeed get here,” suggests Dr. Diane Kitchen, a cattle rancher and Florida Department of Agriculture veterinarian manager, bovine and cervidae programs.

A veterinarian is central to the preparation and treatment plan. Part of being prepared is sitting down now with your veterinarian and discussing: “If we get screwworm, what’s our plan? How often are we looking at cattle, what products are we going to use, and what do we do about movements?”

For wound care, antibiotics, pain management and access to tools, a veterinary client–patient relationship is vital. Treatment is about parasite removal and wound management, guided by vets.

South Texas beef producer Jason Sawyer says, “We’ve also re‑evaluated our parasite control programs in the context of our beef quality assurance program and really tried to set for ourselves a comprehensive plan for how we can better monitor cattle, better treat and better prevent their exposure to screwworms, should the pest re‑emerge in Texas.”

Sawyer, who manages ranches near the U.S.-Mexico border, explains, “We’re trying to work with the weather instead of against it and think about comprehensive parasite control strategies that can minimize that risk for newborn calves, knowing that we’re unlikely to be able to put our hands on every one of them as they hit the ground.”

Health officials say mass or blanket treating the whole herd in an attempt to “prevent” NWS is not the answer. The goal should not be to habitually treat animals ‘just in case.’

“Blanket treatment of animals is not recommended,” stresses Dr. Julia Herman, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) beef cattle specialist veterinarian. “We need to be really responsible in how we use these products. Any unnecessary or inappropriate use should be avoided — this reduces the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance. Only use products for the parasites that are listed on the label.”

Sawyer agrees with the importance of resistance management, adding, “We don’t want to react to an emergent threat in a way that then creates problems with a persistent pest that’s already present.”

Kitchen summarizes that producers and veterinarians have many more tools than they did back in the ’60s and ’70s when NWS was last endemic in the U.S., but producers and veterinarians should strive to avoid “unnecessary or inappropriate use” to preserve effectiveness.

For NWS, the plan is not to line up every animal on the ranch and treat them all ‘just in case.’ Regulators and veterinarians aim to inspect, treat infested or high‑risk animals, and use systemic products where they make sense, always watching resistance, withdrawal times and product supplies.

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“Report, Don’t Hide It”: Experts Urge Rapid Action When Suspecting New World Screwworm

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 19:21:32 GMT

As New World screwworm edges closer to the U.S., industry leaders urge producers to shift from worry to action.

Early detection, prompt reporting and treatment — backed by coordinated surveillance along the border — will be critical to keeping this treatable pest contained. Ranches are tightening calving seasons , upgrading working facilities and revisiting parasite control plans with their veterinarians. The core message to the fight against NWS: nothing replaces “eyes on animals.”

“We’ve been preparing for the possibility of screwworms emerging back in Texas for the past year,” says Jason Sawyer, East Foundation chief science officer. “We have decided to take the attitude of preparedness. We expect we’re going to have it. How can we best manage it and best mitigate and really, how do we minimize the impact while we weather the storm?”

The Breakthrough Symposium: NWS Preparedness panel (pictured l to r) are: Jason Sawyer, East Foundation; Dr. TR Lansford III, Texas Animal Health Commission; Dr. Diane Kitchen, Florida Department of Agriculture; Stephen Diebel, Texas beef producer and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association president; and Dr. Megan Schmid, USDA-APHIS.

(Angie Stump Denton)

Sawyer participated in a panel during the The Breakthrough Symposium: NWS Preparedness, hosted by Merck Animal Health. The panelists didn’t debate whether NWS will arrive — they spoke as if it is already on the way. For producers, that means decisions must be made months in advance: adjusting breeding and calving windows to avoid peak risk, investing in better handling facilities and building a clear response plan with veterinarians. Combined with federal and state surveillance using fly traps, animal inspections and producer reports, these risk‑based steps can help ensure that when NWS appears, it is found fast, hit hard and kept from spreading.

With cattle markets at all‑time highs, panelists warn NWS must be managed in a way that protects both animal health and commerce. Movement controls, inspection and treatment protocols, and animal disease traceability are being designed to regionalize the problem — not shut the industry down.

Here are seven key takeaways from the panel discussion:

1. Prepare, Don’t Panic

New World Screwworm is a serious but manageable threat with proper planning and coordination.

“This isn’t a ‘sell the ranch and get out of business’ problem,” Sawyer summarizes. “This is a ‘let’s figure out the best way to move forward and minimize impact.’” Today’s challenge is to rebuild the “lost muscle memory” with modern tools and a risk‑based mindset. That means planning calving seasons with NWS risk in mind, enhancing parasite control without driving resistance and being ready to isolate, treat and recheck any affected animals in close coordination with veterinarians. The sooner producers start planning, the smaller and shorter the “storm” will be for everyone.

Some strategies producers should consider include:

Get a premise ID now, if you don’t have one.
Consider shifting calving and processing into lower‑fly windows.
Manage wounds differently . Any break in the skin — navels, castration, dehorning, tags and tick bites — becomes a high‑risk site once NWS is in the area.

Dr. Diane Kitchen, a cattle rancher and Florida Department of Agriculture veterinarian manager, bovine and cervidae programs, suggests producers consider using a preventative or at least a protectant to the area to minimize the chance of an infestation occurring.

Sawyer, who manages ranches near the U.S.-Mexico border, explains. “We’re trying to work with the weather instead of against it and think about comprehensive parasite control strategies that can minimize that risk for newborn calves, knowing that we’re unlikely to be able to put our hands on every one of them as they hit the ground.”

2. Eyes on Animals, Surveillance is Central.

Nothing replaces routine, disciplined visual checks — especially of newborns and any animal with a wound. Kitchen says preparation starts with understanding NWS targets wounds and certain high‑risk areas. The fly’s preference is umbilical cords, she stresses.

“It can also affect certain mucus membranes,” she explains. “The corners of the eye, the genital tract. In particular, cows that are calving, they’re attracted to the same umbilical cord scent.” External wounds can be tiny, internal damage massive. “The wound itself externally may be very small,” Kitchen says. “The size of a quarter. But then when you go to treat there may be gallons of maggots within underneath.”

Producers who have dealt with the pest often describe it as a smell you’ll never forget , noting that the stench of a calf infested with New World Screwworm is often the first warning sign.

Dr. Megan Schmid, USDA-APHIS Cattle Health Center assistant director, explains there are two types of surveillance:

Active surveillance: Fly traps along the border, border inspectors and Wildlife Services checking animals
Passive surveillance: Producers, vets, shelters and others seeing maggots/myiasis and reporting. “The traps are helpful,” she says. ”But they’re not as sensitive as the animal inspection. So really, that’s the key part: everybody looking for the infestations in animals.”

Producers can use technology to get more “eyeballs” on cattle and keep spread to a minimum. Game cameras, virtual fencing and behavior tags can help producers find problems sooner when labor is tight.

Because these infestations can be deceptive, producers should learn to identify the specific signs of New World Screwworm , such as unusual discharge or larvae deep within living tissue.

3. Report First, Don’t Hide It.

NWS is a reportable foreign animal disease. Early reporting is critical and legally required. Officials would rather investigate 1,000 false alarms than miss one real case.

Kitchen stresses failure to report will create many more flies.

“Failure to report results in multiple generations of additional flies, which just dramatically increases the population that’s available to impact everybody,” she explains. “If you think that because you didn’t report yours, that it’s not going to be found. It will be found because it’ll be found in something else.”

She encourages producers to think about the impact on their neighbor.

If the roles were reversed, she asks, “If you hear that somebody, your neighbor, is one that didn’t report, how happy are you going to be with them?”

4. Vet Relationships Are Essential.

A veterinarian is central to preparation and treatment plan. For wound care, antibiotics, pain management and access to tools, a veterinary client–patient relationship is vital. Treatment is about parasite removal and wound management, guided by vets.

Panel members explain part of being prepared is sitting down now with your veterinarian and discussing: “If we get screwworm, what’s our plan? How often are we looking at cattle, what products are we going to use, and what do we do about movements?”

Read more about how NWS is an infestation, not an infection.

5. Wildlife Matters in This Fight.

Wildlife are a major reservoir and economic driver, and can suffer large population impacts without control. Kitchen predicts in infested areas 70% to 80% of white-tailed fawn crops could be lost.

“Our wildlife populations are both so much more abundant than they were in the 1950s and so much more valuable than they were in the 1950s,” Sawyer says. “Unfortunately, the opportunity to intervene for wildlife is much smaller. There’s really not very many strategies that are viable, and so surveillance and monitoring become really our front line of defense in terms of our wildlife populations.”

He suggests the best way to protect wildlife is aggressive control in livestock to reduce environmental burden.

6. Quarantines Are Tools, Not Punishments.

The goal is continuity of business with safeguards , not shutting down commerce. Regulators are trying to balance containment with commerce. The goal is to maintain the “speed of commerce” while using structured movement protocols to protect markets and disease-free areas.

“It’s not going to be business as usual, but it’s going to be business is still possible,” Schmid says. “The focus is: how do we allow safe movements, not restrict and stop business.”

She says the New World Screwworm Response Playbook includes guidance documents and explains the quarantine/movement framework.

Stephen Diebel, Texas beef producer and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association president, encourages producers not to think in terms of a hard quarantine. A structured process of treatment, surveillance, inspection and certification will allow movement.

Dr. TR Lansford III, Texas Animal Health Commission assistant state veterinarian and deputy executive director, encourages producers to reference the lessons learned from fever ticks as a strategy for dealing with NWS. He notes experience with fever ticks has shaped how Texans think about area quarantines, treatment protocols and continuity of business.

7. More Tools in the Toolbox.

Panelist members summarize a holistic ectoparasite program using modern products plus strong producer education is a main NWS defense strategy.

Kitchen stress producers and veterinarians have many more tools than they did back in the ’60s and ’70s when NWS was last endemic in the U.S.

Producers can find a list of approved treatment and prevention strategies on the FDA website .

Sawyer suggests producers work with their veterinarians to plan prevention and treatment strategies. He also stresses the importance of considering resistance management.

“We don’t want to react to an emergent threat in a way that then creates problems with a persistent pest that’s already present,” he says.

Read More About How Sterile Flies are the No. 1 Tool to Fight NWS:
Doubling the Defense: USDA’s “Male-Only” Fly Breakthrough to Transform Screwworm Eradication
Border Remains Closed: Sterile Fly Production Facility Groundbreaking Next Step in Screwworm Fight

While NWS is a serious and emotionally charged threat, panelists remind producers the U.S. has pushed it back before — and can do it again.

“This pest existed here before, and it has been eradicated from the U.S. before,” Sawyer summarizes. “We know how to do it. We just have to sort of build the capacity and muscle to get it done again when we need to.”

Screwworm Fight: $750M Sterile Fly Facility Groundbreaking in Texas

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:30:16 GMT

USDA officially broke ground on a $750 million sterile fly production facility Friday in Edinburg, Texas, marking a major escalation in the fight against the New World screwworm (NWS). Located at Moore Air Base, this facility will provide the U.S. with a domestic supply of sterile flies — up to 300 million per week — to protect livestock, wildlife and the national food supply chain from the invasive parasite.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she did not have an announcement about the reopening of the U.S.-Mexico border. On Wednesday, a report from a state official in Mexico incorrectly claimed that USDA has set a date to resume livestock imports from Mexico. According to Rollins and an USDA APHIS social media post , the claim is not accurate.

“Every day we are analyzing,” she says. “We’ve never been in a better position than we are in today, to a path. Now, I want to be very clear: New World screwworm is only about 200 miles from this border, so there will not be a port opening in Texas until it is significantly pushed back. But New World screwworm is roughly around 800 miles from the Douglas, Ariz., port and the two ports in New Mexico. So, we are looking every day to make sure we are protecting our livestock and national security.”

Rollins did announce she will be at the Douglas port next Friday, April 24, taking a firsthand look at that border crossing.

How Close Is NWS to the U.S.?

As of April 16, Mexico reports 1,300 active NWS cases in animals, with 746 cases in bovine. The latest case status map shows two active cases in the Nuevo León area, approximately 90 miles from the Texas border. The most recent case was a 7-day-old calf. On April 10, there was a canine located in the municipality of Monterrey also in Nuevo León. Along the coast south of Brownsville, in the state of Tamaulipas, there are multiple cases reported in the last week in young bovine.

USDA continues to distribute sterile flies in those NWS hot zones.

How Does Sterile Fly Production Stop Screwworm?

A sterile fly production facility plays a crucial role in NWS prevention and response. In a biosecure environment, NWS flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation before being released in targeted areas. Because female screwworm flies mate only once, mating with sterile males results in eggs that do not hatch. Sterile insect technique, paired with surveillance, animal movement restrictions, and education and outreach, has been the foundation of successful NWS eradication efforts for decades.

“Breaking ground on this facility marks a major investment in safeguarding America’s livestock and the producers who feed this nation. This puts NWS sterile fly production in American hands, so we do not have to rely on other countries for the best offensive measure to push screwworm away from our borders,” Rollins says. “The New World screwworm threatens the health of our herds, the stability of rural economies, and the resilience of our supply chain. President Trump and his entire cabinet is committed to leveraging every resource necessary to contain this pest, protect American agriculture, and ensure the long-term security of our food supply chain.”

Today at the Southern Border, we officially broke ground on @USDA’s new sterile New World Screwworm production facility.🇺🇸

For months, we’ve been on offense:
• Monitoring 8,000+ traps along the southern border
• Testing nearly 51,000 fly specimens — all negative
•… pic.twitter.com/VUE1KrX4TA
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) April 17, 2026

Rollins was at Moore Air Base Feb. 9 for a grand opening of a sterile fly dispersal facility at the same location. This facility expanded USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border and into the U.S., if necessary.

What is the Timeline for the Edinburg Facility?

“Once operational, this facility will initially produce an additional 100 million sterile flies per week in phase one, but eventually, when we get to Stage 2, which will be the end of 2028, we’ll be at 300 million sterile flies. When you combine that with all of the other flies that are being produced, that moves us from containment to eradication,” Rollins emphasizes.

Also at the groundbreaking was Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commanding general.

“Our mission at USACE is to deliver engineering solutions, with our partners, to secure our nation, strengthen our economy, and reduce disaster risk,” Graham says. “That’s why we’re proud to deliver an engineering solution to the New World Screwworm, which represents a direct threat to our nation’s livestock, our food security and our economy. This new, modern facility is the critical infrastructure we need to secure a defensive line against the New World screwworm for generations to come.”

The new facility is being built with an aggressive timeline designed to quickly expand the nation’s sterile fly production capacity:

Initial operational capability targeted for November 2027, reaching production of 100 million sterile flies per week.
Construction continues immediately beyond initial operations to scale full production capacity to 300 million sterile flies per week.
USDA and USACE have slashed red tape, securing expedited procurement, and eliminating other barriers.
Together, USDA and USACE will oversee installation and commissioning of specialized systems that will make this facility operable on time, delivering the critical sterile flies we need to continue to defeat this pest.

Why is Domestic Fly Production Important for U.S. Agriculture?

This new state-of-the-art facility will complement USDA’s ongoing production of 100 million sterile flies per week at the Panama-based COPEG facility . USDA has also invested $21 million to support modernization of a facility in Metapa, Mexico, expected to be operational in summer 2026.

According to a USDA press release : “Once fully operational, this expanded production network will provide the speed, scale, and domestic capability needed to rapidly counter any NWS threat — reducing risks to producers, protecting animal health, and strengthening the resilience of America’s livestock industry.”

Read more about why the border is closed and its impact:
The 1.1 Million Head Gap: Analyzing the Impact of the U.S.-Mexico Border Closure
Should Beef Producers Be Concerned About Potential Phased Reopening of U.S.-Mexico Border?
From Lawsuits to Screwworms: Policy Uncertainty Rolls Downhill to Producers

Cattle Industry Policy Risks 2026: Screwworm Response & Trade Uncertainty

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:58:03 GMT

Whether it’s a 20-year lawsuit over poultry litter in Oklahoma, the looming threat of New World screwworm (NWS) or renewed debate over origin labeling, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Ethan Lane sees the same pattern: The burden eventually falls on cattle producers.

Lane, NCBA senior vice president of government affairs, was a guest Wednesday on “ AgriTalk ,” pointing out how regulatory shifts and legal settlements can quickly erode the certainty ranchers rely on, especially when border policies and labeling rules are decided without a clear plan for how they’ll play out in the countryside.

Here are the key takeaways from Lane’s discussion with Chip Flory.

1. Oklahoma Poultry Litter Lawsuit Has Wider Implications for Cattle Producers

Both NCBA and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association made statements following the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma’s rejection of the state of Oklahoma’s negotiated settlement with four poultry companies in the decades-old State of Oklahoma v. Tyson Foods, Inc., et al., lawsuit regarding the application of chicken litter in the Illinois River Watershed .

Lane says though the case has to do with chicken litter, it has direct implications for cattle producers because it involves Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs), a core tool many livestock operations rely on for regulatory certainty.

He explains that if a state can settle in a way that undermines NMPs, it sends a message that even when producers “check all the boxes,” they can still “have the rug pulled out from underneath” them in federal court. If NMPs are invalidated in court, producers lose their safe-harbor status.

His warning is that settlements that go beyond established expectations should concern every cattle producer, because compliance burdens and liability ultimately roll downhill to producers.

2. NWS Response Playbook Is Critical Preparation

Lane says the New World Screwworm (NWS) Response Playbook is the product of months of collaboration between USDA, impacted states and state animal health officials.

“We know screwworm is coming, right? We know that despite the best efforts of the federal government, we are most likely going to have to deal with screwworm on U.S. soil,” he summarizes.

He explains the playbook is meant to:

Define how cattle will move, go to slaughter or move to the next production phase if NWS is present.
Integrate state and federal responses so the industry does not repeat the confusion seen early in the high-path disease issues in dairy cattle.
Provide clarity and predictability for producers and the supply chain when NWS cases occur.

Read more about the playbook and how surveillance, targeted treatment and movement controls will help protect cattle operations while preserving business stability when NWS invades:

Ready for the Risk: USDA Releases Updated New World Screwworm Response Playbook

How Will U.S. Producers Maintain Business when New World Screwworm Invades?

3. Border Reopening With Mexico Must Be Deliberate and Predictable

Lane emphasizes that deciding when to reopen the border for cattle commerce will be “more art than science.”

“The secretary has a really important job in determining whether or not our Mexican friends are meeting all the obligations that they have here and that they are being collaborative partners,” he says. “We continue to believe that what’s most important here is making sure that the reopening of the border is planned, it’s announced, it’s very predictable.”

NCBA’s priority is a planned, announced and predictable border reopening so supply chains can plan around it and speculation is minimized.

“We’ve seen what happens with speculation in the markets surrounding this, and it’s not good for producers,” he says.

Wednesday a report from a state official in Mexico incorrectly claimed that USDA has set a date to resume livestock imports from Mexico. According to a USDA APHIS social media post this is not accurate.

“USDA has not set a date for resuming livestock imports. USDA will resume livestock imports only when we determine that the risk of New World Screwworm introduction into the United States can be adequately mitigated.”

Read more about the impact of the U.S.-Mexico Border Closure:

The 1.1 Million Head Gap: Analyzing the Impact of the U.S.-Mexico Border Closure

Should Beef Producers Be Concerned About Potential Phased Reopening of U.S.-Mexico Border?

4. Skepticism Toward Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (MCOOL)

Lane acknowledges MCOOL’s political popularity with some stakeholders. He notes NCBA once supported it and later reversed policy because producers didn’t get the promised premiums and instead faced significant compliance costs.

“MCOOL doesn’t generate premiums for producers,” he says. “Giving the packer an extra 10 cents a pound on those cattle doesn’t help my members across the country make more money.”

He argues that consumers say they’ll pay more for “born, raised, harvested in the USA,” but in practice they buy on price and quality.

“We’ve been very supportive of closing the Product of the USA labeling loophole and putting some promotion behind it to educate folks about what’s possible,” Lane says. “That’s where we think we’ll find real premiums. MCOOL is a road to just higher consumer prices, and that’s the last thing the White House wants right now.”

He adds local and regional labels, like born, raised and harvested in Nebraska, are more effective at creating real producer premiums than a broad, mandatory origin label.

As the beef industry continues to navigate a volatile 2026, the intersection of legal precedents, biosecurity threats and trade policy continues to redefine the rancher’s risk profile. For Lane, the goal remains clear: ensuring that federal regulations and court rulings provide a predictable roadmap rather than an unexpected burden.

In a landscape where the “rug can be pulled” at any moment, maintaining a seat at the policy table is the only way to ensure that the burden of uncertainty doesn’t stop at the farm gate.

USDA’s "Male-Only" Fly Breakthrough to Transform Screwworm Eradication

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:18:30 GMT

USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is advancing the next evolution of the long-trusted sterile insect technique (SIT) to protect U.S. livestock from New World screwworm (NWS) by introducing a 100% male-only sterile fly strain. This breakthrough will effectively double the production capacity of sterile fly facilities without expanding physical infrastructure. By eliminating the production of “useless” female flies, the USDA-ARS innovation aims to push the NWS fly further south, providing a more robust and cost-effective defense for American livestock producers.

A USDA spokesperson explains, “USDA is using gold standard, proven scientific methods to manufacture NWS flies to produce only male flies and increase the efficiency of SIT. USDA is simply making a proven tool even more efficient and effective to better protect America’s farmers and ranchers.”

USDA currently produces sterile flies for dispersal at the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa — which will double NWS production capacity once complete.

Moore Air Base: On Time and On Budget for 2026 Production

Dudley Hoskins, USDA under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, was a guest Tuesday on AgriTalk. He discussed sterile fly dispersal efforts.

“We’re doing two things,” he says. “One, the Secretary has us modernizing our infrastructure and our production capacity. She has us working on Moore Air Base, which will be a sterile fly production facility, that when it’s finally complete and at max-capacity production, will be producing about 300 million sterile flies per week. ”

Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden recently reported USDA is on track and on time with regard to the Moore Air Base facility near Edinburg, Texas.

The Science of Stopping the Spread: Why Male-Only Matters

SIT, when paired with surveillance, movement restrictions and education and outreach, is an effective tool for controlling and eradicating NWS. Female NWS flies only mate once in their lives, so if they mate with a sterile male, they lay unfertilized eggs that don’t hatch. Releasing sterile flies just outside of affected areas helps ensure flies traveling to new areas will only encounter sterile mates and will not be able to reproduce.

Hoskins says concurrent to the process at Moore Air Base, USDA is working with its partners at the ARS and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to evaluate the genetically-engineered fly — the NovoFly — which would help get more male flies in the sterile fly production facility.

Vaden calls the possibility exciting.

“Basically we’ve been losing half of the production at every facility because what we need are sterile male flies, but of course with nature, half of what you get are female flies, and those to this particular enterprise are useless,” he explains. “Thanks to our agricultural research service, we now have the ability to pump out 100% sterile male flies only, no wastage. That has the effect of doubling production without any change in the available facilities.“

He adds, “We expect to be able, once EPA approves that innovation is safe later this year, to have all those facilities, including the one under construction at Moore Air Base, pumping out 100% sterile male flies, which will make our ability to push this pest back further south where it belongs to take root and begin to have great effect. Not just to hold it, but to push it further south.”

Hoskins summarizes, “All of those things are in motion, all things happening concurrently, and all those will be critical in modernizing our toolbox to take the fight to the screwworm.”

Listen to the conversation on AgriTalk :

Regulatory Road Map: The EPA Public Comment Period

USDA is following established regulatory pathways and submitted to EPA an Emergency Use Exemption and Application for Registration. EPA published the notice of receipt and request for comments in the Federal Register on March 27 and is accepting public comments until April 27 before making a determination.

According to the notice, the application from USDA states: “To register a new pesticide product containing an unregistered pesticide, NovoFly male-only genetically engineered (GE) New World screwworm (NWS) in USDA’s Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) programs. Additionally, the Agency received a Section 18 quarantine emergency exemption application requesting use of the same pesticide to maintain broad suppression of and help prevent the pest from moving further northward from Mexico toward the United States.”

EPA is providing the notice in accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

The notice says, “Due to the urgent nature of the emergency, the limited time available to authorize the Section 18 quarantine emergency exemption request and the related FIFRA Section 3 product registration application under review for the same use, EPA is waiving the comment period associated with the emergency exemption request but is soliciting public comment in conjunction with the application for Section 3 product registration of NovoFly.”

To make comments or learn more, visit the EPA website .

Read more about sterile flies and current distribution:

USDA Updates New World Screwworm Response Playbook for Ranchers and Vets

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:35:24 GMT

The “ New World Screwworm Response Playbook” was developed as a resource to help animal health officials and responders manage and adapt their response if NWS is found in the U.S. The first draft of the Playbook was released in October 2025.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) released an updated Playbook to serve as a comprehensive guide to support coordinated, science-based action should NWS be detected.

“USDA continues to execute Secretary Rollins’ five-pronged plan to keep NWS out of the United States,” says Dudley Hoskins, USDA under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs. “While we are aggressively safeguarding American agriculture and working with Mexico to prevent further northward spread, we must also ensure that our domestic response plans are ready for immediate activation. Strong coordination with states, producers, veterinarians, sportsmen and other partners is essential to achieving that goal.”

Hoskins was a guest Tuesday on AgriTalk. He discussed NWS preventative and response measures, including the sterile fly dispersal efforts.

He explains the goal of the Playbook is to try to balance that constant posture of vigilance, prevention and emergency response coordination.

“We want to be as least disruptive to the industry and commerce as possible,” he explains.

Hoskins stresses APHIS is asking for feedback on version two of the Playbook as they continue to fine-tune the response plan.

“We’re asking that same community of states and industry partners to continue to review the playbook,” he explains. “We want to continue to have those discussions and and those deliberations to improve the can and hopefully perfect have to use it, and hopefully never have to use it.”

Refining the Rules: Key Updates to the 2026 Playbook

The updated Playbook outlines critical science-based strategies for federal, state, tribal and local responders, including how to:

Coordinate response operations
Reduce spread and prevent establishment of NWS in new areas
Manage the pest in infested animals
Implement NWS fly surveillance and control measures
Maintain continuity of business
Support efficient information flow and situational awareness

APHIS has released the updated New World Screwworm Response Playbook - strengthening preparedness via coordination with states, producers, veterinarians, wildlife & other partners.🤝
It guides rapid, science-based action should NWS be detected in the U.S.https://t.co/lgplvaNjDy pic.twitter.com/kq4wKbqkGY
— USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (@USDA_APHIS) April 8, 2026

Collaborative Design: Incorporating Tribal and Industry Expertise

After sharing the draft Playbook in October 2025, APHIS worked to gather feedback from state animal health officials, federal partners, livestock and wildlife industry groups, tribal partners, veterinary organizations and other key stakeholders to prepare the updated version.

According to the APHIS press release , “Their expertise and operational experience were essential in shaping practical, field-ready guidance for real-world response scenarios.”

Based on this feedback, APHIS made several key updates to the Playbook including clarifying and expanding:

Terminology — NWS establishment, suspect, zones, types, phases, quarantines — treatment versus preventative NWS animal drugs and pesticide products
Agency roles, responsibilities and authorities
Animal movement requirements
Wildlife management, including:
- Improved description of roles, responsibilities and authorities related to wildlife
- Added and improved definitions of confined, farmed, and free-ranging wildlife
- Refined guidance on use of antiparasitic drugs and pesticide for use on/in wildlife
- Development guidance on wildlife surveillance

Accessing the Playbook: Resources for Producers and Responders

APHIS updated four supplemental guidance documents that were posted with the draft Playbook and added an additional eight supplemental guidance documents, all referenced in the Playbook .

(USDA APHIS NWS Playbook)

“To ensure continued alignment with state-level plans and industry practices, APHIS will continue to revise the Playbook as preparedness activities advance and evolve,” the release explains. “The agency will continue to work directly with states, territories, tribes, federal agencies, industry wildlife and other partners to refine response tools, strengthen coordination and support joint planning efforts.”

Your Next Reads:

Should Beef Producers Be Concerned About Potential Phased Reopening of U.S.-Mexico Border?

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:43:31 GMT

The debate at the U.S.-Mexico border continues as the fear of New World screwworm (NWS) increases with warmer spring temperatures while the supplies of feeder cattle tighten.

The border has been closed since July 9 . A temporary phased reopening that began July 7 with the Douglas, Ariz., port was short-lived with a case reported July 8, 370 miles from the border, which was 160 miles northward of the sterile fly dispersal grid at that time.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke with media during the Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Convention about a potential phased reopening of the border.

“We’re looking at it every single day,” she says. “The closest the screwworm has gotten to the Arizona border is about 800 miles. So, we’re currently evaluating a potential phased-in strategy. We obviously will not be opening all four ports anytime soon, but there is a realistic conversation that’s currently happening that’s looking at that port that’s about 800 miles from the closest case. More to come on that. I expect an announcement either way on that, perhaps within the next two to four weeks.”

A USDA spokesperson confirmed her statement, explaining, “USDA will resume livestock imports at such a time when we determine the risk of NWS introduction into the U.S. can be adequately mitigated. To make the determination, USDA is evaluating a combination of factors including our science-based import protocol, the animal health status of individual Mexican states, and the degree to which Mexico’s national agriculture authority has made progress in implementing our recommendations.”

Where is the Closest Case?

A USDA spokesperson told Drovers the active case closest to the U.S. was confirmed March 17 in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas and is 146 miles away from the border. According to the Screwworm.gov website , there are 1,433 active cases of NWS in Mexico as of April 1.

“There was an isolated case in Nuevo Leon last September that was about 70 miles away from the border,” a USDA spokesperson confirms. “There have not been any cases within 100 miles of the border since then.”

Dan Basse, AgResource Co. president, says he is growing increasingly concerned as the threat of NWS edges closer to the U.S. border.

“I’m becoming more pessimistic as each day goes by,” Basse says. “Seasonally, the fly moves northward, and it’s not that far away.”

Biosecurity Versus Supply Pressures

According to Jim Wiesemeyer, host of the “Wiesemeyer’s Perspectives” podcast and a Washington analyst, the reopening debate is being driven by two competing dynamics:

Biosecurity risk remains the primary constraint.
Market pressures are intensifying.

“Tight U.S. feeder cattle supplies and operational strain on Southwest feedyards are increasing pressure on USDA to restore imports from Mexico, a key supply source for the region,” Wiesemeyer explains.

Basse estimates roughly 120,000 head per month that would typically move into the U.S. are currently being held in Mexico, further tightening already constrained supplies.

“I don’t know how APHIS [USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] can open the border today,” he says.

Rollins says keeping the borders closed has been instrumental in keeping NWS out of the U.S.

“I think they [Mexico’s government] would have been good partners, whether we close the ports or not, but I know for sure they have been much better partners because those ports have been closed,” Rollins says.

Adis Dijab, DVM and veterinary services associate deputy administrator for APHIS, says Moore Air Base is the hub of the U.S. expansion for sterile NWS flies . He says the dispersal facility is operational and the production plant is scheduled to be built and fully online by 2027 — aiming for 300 million sterile flies per week. On Jan. 30, USDA announced a shift in its 100 million-per-week sterile fly dispersal efforts to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border.

What Would a Phased Reopening Mean for U.S. Beef Producers?

“I suspect the futures market will react pretty significantly,” says Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist. “But the fact of the matter is this is not that big a deal. It’s not going to cause an immediate impact of any kind at this point in time.”

David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and Extension specialist for livestock and food product marketing, agrees, saying reopening the border will not fundamentally make a huge difference for the U.S. producer.

“There is not really a flood of animals waiting to come this way,” he explains. “While cattle would be imported it should not have a huge effect on the market. A little more supplies and a little impact on price. It should take a while for imports to ramp up. Phased means a slow reopening, so that implies a slow or small effect on numbers and prices.”

Peel predicts cattle flow from Mexico would trickle, not surge, especially going into the summer heat period when movements usually tail off.

Other constraints that Peel says will limit cattle crossing the border include:

Understaffing and loss of USDA APHIS personnel at ports could be a bottleneck.
Prior abrupt closures have eroded Mexican producers’ confidence, so they’re unlikely to rush cattle north without proof the border will stay open.
Mexico is investing and adapting internally, which could permanently change traditional movement patterns and how much and how quickly cattle flow to the U.S. even after reopening.

“Long term, if we return eventually to normal things, then, you know, that does add some supply back into our feeder cattle supplies,” Peel says. “But that’s all going to take months. I mean, it really doesn’t happen much this year. ... We’re probably talking about next year.”

Don Close, senior animal protein analyst at Terrain Ag, says the biggest impact will be psychological.

“Because the futures market is an anticipatory market, and [if] we ever have any border opening, the market’s going to perceive more numbers to come down the road, so that’s where that psychological impact could come from,” he explains.

He predicts the real story will be a North American cattle shortage, not just a U.S. shortage, due to drought also experienced in Mexico.

The positive impact, according to Anderson, will be for Southwestern U.S. feeders.

He says more supplies of cattle would eventually help the packer keep shifts going to help some plants survive, but when Mexican cattle come across the border, they are “a long way off from finishing.” It will not be immediate relief for the packer.

“I don’t think it’s an immediate impact except in the futures market, because it always reacts immediately and then figures it out and recorrects later,” Anderson says. “It would help boost beef supplies for the consumer — many months down the road. I don’t think this helps enough to offset the increase in gas and diesel prices and the longer-term impact of these costs on our production and marketing system.”

No Need to Panic

Should beef producers be concerned about a potential phased reopening of U.S.-Mexico border?

“I would say this is not something to panic about,” Anderson summarizes. “There are a lot of positives for cattle producers, especially in the Southwest, and the truckers, feed stores, markets and others who are part of the cattle industry in the Southwest.”

He emphasizes, “I think one real benefit is the inspection and surveillance that happens at the border that is a real positive to have a better idea of what is going on.”

Close’s message to producers is that a border reopening would likely cause a short-term, mostly psychological softening in feeder prices, but it won’t solve the broader North American cattle shortage, so any relief will be limited and temporary.

The message from industry analysts is not to panic, but to steady the ship, manage risk and prepare for NWS.

Your Next Reads:

How Will U.S. Producers Maintain Business when New World Screwworm Invades?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:59:31 GMT

With animal disease, prevention and preparation beat panic. Since New World screwworm (NWS) was last eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, the tools and infrastructure to deal with foreign animal disease have dramatically changed.

Dr. Justin Smith, Kansas animal health commissioner and state veterinarian, during the recent Kansas State University Cattlemen’s Day gave an update on how Kansas and other states are preparing for NWS. The approach is designed to keep producers in business, keep cattle and products moving, and manage NWS in a way that protects both herds and markets.

He says the U.S. animal health officials along with USDA are planning a multistate, coordinated response that aims for consistency across state borders.

Smith summarizes the industry’s preparation to tackle NWS is like a three-legged stool. U.S. producers will be able to maintain business when NWS invades through surveillance, treatment and movement controls.

Surveillance: Eyes on Animals

The first leg of the stool is surveillance. He stresses early detection depends heavily on producers and veterinarians watching animals closely and reporting anything suspicious.

Smith emphasizes they would rather over investigate than miss a case.

“We want to make sure that we err on the side of having to say no on many occasions, versus saying, ‘Yep, this is what we got.’ Eyes on animals is going to be key.”

He was clear this should feel like partnership, not policing.

“They don’t want it to look like Big Brother coming over your shoulder,” he explains. “I hope we want to get this thing quickly.”

Smith explains that once a positive premises is identified, surveillance becomes structured around zones. The infested premises sit at the center, surrounded by an infested zone, an adjacent surveillance zone and a broader fly surveillance area.

The infested zone is 12.4 miles in radius from the infested premises. In this zone, there will be frequent on‑animal checks for wounds and larvae, plus enhanced monitoring in surrounding zones using fly traps and animal observation. The adjacent surveillance zone is another 12.4 miles radius and then there will be a fly surveillance area — an 124-mile radius from the infested premises.

Smith says movements out of the infested zone will require visual inspection for wounds and systemic treatment, including a treatment window of three to 14 days before movement plus a documented certificate of veterinary inspection.

He says the current Kansas response plan aligns with USDA’s playbook and neighboring states’ plans while taking into account specific needs of the Kansas livestock industry.

He stresses the playbook will continue to evolve, and state-by-state implementation may vary, but he says the “zone approach” will be utilized by all states.

Treatment: Limited Tools, Use Strategically

The second leg is treatment. Smith says that after decades without large domestic outbreaks, labeled options are limited.

From the fact that we haven’t had this new tool in our nation, in a large-spread outbreak since the 60s, we don’t have a lot of treatments out there that are labeled for this organism.”

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four products for large animals:

He cautions, “The goal is not to go out there and just habitually treat your animals just in case. We want to make sure that we’re utilizing these [products] responsibly. There’s not an unlimited supply out there, and so we want to make sure that it’s available for us when we do need it.”

On a positive premises, Smith says treatment will be mandatory and systematic.

“There will be a quarantine placed on that premises. We’re also going to require a certain level of treatment on that premises,” he explains.

There will be protocols for daily mortality disposal, so carcasses don’t become breeding sites.

“The last thing you want to do is bury an animal that has larvae and has the ability to advance.”

He says treatment is also tied to movement out of infested zones, with most animals needing prophylactic treatment before leaving.

Movement Controls: Targeted, Not Statewide Shutdowns

The third leg is movement control, designed to be precise rather than broad-brush. Smith stresses NWS is an infestation, not an infection , emphasizing it is not a systemic disease problem, but an infestation that still demands strong controls.

He says there will be movement restrictions if a premises falls into an infested region. To move animals out of that zone, there will be steps to follow but movement will not be completely shut down.

He explains some exceptions exist:

Animals moving directly to slaughter can go without pre‑movement treatment, but those animals have to be hanging on the rail within 72 hours.
Baby dairy calves must be treated but can move right away if treatment and navel care are documented.

He says Kansas is also coordinating with neighboring states to create “synergistic” rules, especially for cattle from higher‑risk states such as Texas. Cattle entering Kansas from recognized infested zones will face inspection, treatment requirements and at least 14 days in drylot containment on arrival.

NWS is Not a Food Safety Issue

Smith reassures producers and consumers that NWS is not a meat safety threat.

“This is not a food safety issue,” he says. “If an animal is presented to slaughter, it has a screwworm wound then it has the ability to be trimmed. That carcass will not be condemned. There are no restrictions on any inspected product for food safety reasons.”

Smith summarizes underpinning all three legs is a commitment to dynamic planning and continuity. He notes a revised USDA playbook is forthcoming and that “plans will be a little bit dynamic” as they learn more.

The core message for producers is clear: watch your cattle, report early, use treatments wisely and expect targeted movement controls — not blanket shutdowns — if NWS crosses the border.

USDA Announces Sterile Fly Production Facility Construction Contract

USDA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced March 9 a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas.

This facility is a key component in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy to fight NWS. USACE is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering and construction of the facility.

“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government-wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” Rollins says. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first-of-its-kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”

A sterile fly production facility is a specialized biosecure complex where NWS flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation and then released into targeted areas.

USDA currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week at the COPEG facility in Panama and disperses them within and just north of affected areas in Mexico. In addition to the COPEG facility in Panama, USDA invested $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa , which will double NWS production capacity once complete.

With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates sterile fly production will begin at this facility in summer 2026. The new facility at Moore Air Base will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture.

USDA and USACE will break ground on this new facility later this spring, after initial planning and development meetings with the new contractor. By November 2027, the production facility at Moore Air Base is expected to reach its initial goal of producing 100 million sterile flies per week. After that, construction will continue at the facility to increase production with the long-term goal of producing 300 million sterile flies per week.

F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide Approved to Prevent and Treat New World Screwworm

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:12:46 GMT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide (benzalkonium chloride, polyhexanide and cypermethrin topical solution) for the prevention and treatment of New World screwworm (NWS) infestations (myiasis).

The FDA has concluded that based on the scientific evidence available, it is reasonable to believe that F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide may be effective in the prevention and treatment of NWS myiasis in cattle, horses, minor species of hoof stock (sheep, goats, deer), raptors and other wild birds, pet birds, and captive wild, exotic and zoo mammals. The known and potential benefits of the product outweigh its known and potential risks.

F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide may not be used in domestic dogs and cats.

To date, the FDA has conditionally approved or issued EUAs for drugs to prevent and/or treat NWS in cattle, dogs and cats. F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide is the first product authorized by the FDA for NWS indications in additional species.

The agency evaluated relevant human food safety information and concluded that the food products obtained from treated animals are safe for human consumption when the terms and conditions of use granted by the EUA are followed, including the withdrawal period and milk discard time.

Important food safety information:

Cattle, goats, and sheep must not be slaughtered for human consumption within 30 days of treatment.
For non-domesticated minor species of hoof stock (e.g., deer, elk, antelope and nilgai), use only when there is a reasonable certainty that the treated animal will not be slaughtered or harvested for human consumption within 30 days of treatment.
Milk taken from cows, goats, or sheep during treatment and for 10 days after treatment must not be used for human consumption.
A withdrawal period has not been established for this product in pre-ruminating calves. Treated calves and calves born to treated cows must not be processed for veal.

Detailed product information about F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide can be found in the Fact Sheet: Emergency Use Authorization of F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide (benzalkonium chloride, polyhexanide and cypermethrin topical solution) for New World screwworm (NWS) .

F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide is available over the counter without a prescription. F10 Antiseptic Wound Spray with Insecticide is sponsored by Health and Hygiene (Pty) Ltd , based in South Africa.

Your Next Reads:
New World Screwworm: An Infestation, Not Infection
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Domestic Dispersal Facility Is Ready to Drop Sterile New World Screwworm Flies

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:55:29 GMT

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins was in Edinburg, Texas, on Feb. 9 for the grand opening of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) sterile fly dispersal facility at the Moore Air Base Facility. This facility expands USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border and into the U.S., if necessary.

The dispersal facility is a key piece of USDA’s efforts to protect the American livestock industry from New World screwworm (NWS) — a pest that would devastate ranchers if it made its way across the border.

Dudley Hoskins, USDA undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs, says: “This is not mission accomplished. This is job well-done today. Let’s get to work and finish the job.”

Today, Governor @GregAbbott_TX & @USDA @SecRollins participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Edinburg to celebrate the significant step to combat the New World Screwworm & protect Texas agriculture.

More: https://t.co/pPiiJcPkev pic.twitter.com/EW3oKfBnzH
— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GovAbbottPress) February 9, 2026

Rollins says: “The Trump administration continues to bring the full force of the federal government to fight New World screwworm. This sterile fly dispersal facility was a high-priority project, and our team delivered it in record time. This new facility is a monumental achievement for our domestic preparedness efforts, but we are also diligently working to stop the spread of screwworm in Mexico, conduct extensive trapping and surveillance along the border, increase U.S. response capacity and encourage innovative solutions. We will never stop fighting to protect American agriculture. USDA, through a whole-of-government approach, will continue to hold Mexico accountable for mitigating the spread of this dangerous pest.”

Why The Sterile Fly?

The facility will use the sterile insect technique — an effective, science-based approach that releases sterile male flies into targeted areas to disrupt reproduction and gradually reduce NWS populations. This tool is critical to stopping the pest before it can move farther north.

Sterile insect technique, when paired with surveillance, animal movement restrictions and education and outreach, is a proven and effective tool for controlling and eradicating NWS. Female NWS flies only mate once in their lives, so if they mate with a sterile male, they lay unfertilized eggs that don’t hatch. Releasing sterile flies just outside of affected areas helps ensure flies traveling to new areas will only encounter sterile mates and will not be able to reproduce.

Sterile insects are dispersed through aerial dispersal or ground release. Aerial operations are preferred because they allow for dispersal at a steady rate through a large area and put sterile insects in areas unreachable from the ground. Ground release is used when there is a need to quickly deploy sterile insects outside of the dispersal facility range. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile flies remain critical components of an effective response.

USDA currently produces sterile flies for dispersal at the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa — which will double NWS production capacity once complete. With ongoing support from technical experts in USDA’s APHIS, Mexico anticipates this sterile fly production to begin as soon as summer 2026.

NWS Flies Are Not in the U.S.

Rollins stresses there are no NWS flies in the U.S. She gave an update on the horse from Argentina that was found at the equine import quarantine facility in Florida with an open wound with larvae. She says once it was confirmed to have NWS, the animal was treated and remained in quarantine until it was reexamined and determined to be free of NWS.

Dr. Adis Dijab, DVM and veterinary services associate deputy administrator for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), gave an update on NWS in the cattle health and well-being committee during CattleCon. He explains Moore Air Base is the hub of the U.S. expansion for sterile NWS flies. He says the dispersal facility is operational and the production plant is scheduled to be built and fully online by 2027 — aiming for 300 million sterile flies per week.

He says the large‑scale production build‑out (the 300‑million‑per‑week plant) is still moving through contracting and construction. He anticipates awarding a construction contract in March or April.

On January 30, USDA announced a shift in its 100 million-per-week sterile fly dispersal efforts to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border. While the sterile flies for this effort will initially be dispersed from the Tampico, Mexico, facility, USDA is prepared to quickly and strategically shift operations to the new Texas facility should there be a change in the location or new concentration of NWS cases in northern Mexico.

According to an announcement by USDA , the dispersal in Texas begins Feb. 9.

Your Next Read: New World Screwworm: An Infestation, Not Infection

FDA Approves IVOMEC to Help Protect Cattle Against New World Screwworm

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:21:43 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of IVOMEC(ivermectin) 1% Injection for the prevention of infestations caused by New World screwworm (NWS) in cattle.

“Protecting the health and well‑being of livestock is at the core of our mission,” says Steve Boren, Boehringer Ingelheim vice president of U.S. Livestock. “Emergency Use Authorization for IVOMEC (ivermectin) 1% Injection provides cattle producers and veterinarians with an important preventive tool against New World screwworm. We appreciate the proactive approach of the FDA and USDA in response to this emerging animal health threat and remain dedicated to supporting veterinarians, producers, and government as we work together to protect cattle herds.”

Under the EUA, IVOMEC (ivermectin) 1% Injection is authorized for the prevention of infestations caused by NWS (Cochliomyia hominivorax) larvae (myiasis) when administered within 24 hours of birth, at the time of castration, or at the appearance of a wound in cattle, except for female dairy cattle producing milk for human consumption and calves that will be processed for veal.

“Having worked in regions where New World screwworm is endemic, I’ve seen firsthand that effective readiness depends on access to preventive tools and strong producer education,” says Dr. Gustavo Sabatini, Boehringer Ingelheim global technical manager for ruminant parasiticides, who recently testified before the Texas House Agriculture and Livestock Committee on NWS preparedness alongside federal and state animal health officials and industry groups. “Screwworm strikes cattle when they are most vulnerable, including at birth, and demands more labor‑intensive management on the ground. That’s why prevention is essential – not only to protect animal health, but also to safeguard the food supply and the livelihoods of cattle producers.”

Based on available scientific evidence, FDA determined that there is no adequate, approved, and available alternative to the product for the prevention of NWS in certain cattle at these critical intervention points.This is the first EUA for any over-the-counter drug for the prevention of infestations caused by NWS in cattle, providing timely access to a preventive tool should an NWS incursion occur in the U.S.

Your Next Read: New World Screwworm: An Infestation, Not Infection

New World Screwworm: An Infestation, Not Infection

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:53:01 GMT

New World Screwworm (NWS) is an infestation of individual animals, not a herdwide infection like many diseases. Finding one infested animal does not automatically mean the whole herd is infested.

“This is not infection,” explains Adis Dijab, DVM and veterinary services associate deputy administrator for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). “When you talk about infection, there is a potential that every single animal is infected. In this case, it’s [the] infestation of one animal; you can check the rest of your animals and they can be fine.”

What does this mean for operations? If NWS does cross the border, quarantine and movement controls will be designed to inspect and treat affected animals. Dijab says this means producers can clear the rest of the herd as quickly as possible, and there will be a pathway to continue business, not a blanket, long‑term stop on all movement — assuming cooperation and inspections.

APHIS will try to avoid blanket shutdowns by targeted zoning and quick pathways out of quarantine after inspection and treatment.

Dijab gave a NWS update during the cattle health and well-being committee at CattleCon. Here are four key points from his presentation:

1. What NWS is and why it’s dangerous

NWS is a parasitic fly whose larvae require living tissue to feed.
Its life cycle is 21 days but can be longer in colder climates.
The fly is not active around 40°F.
NWS flies prefer water, shade greenery and hosts.
They typically move only about 3 km (approximately 1.6–1.7 miles) per day if they must; they are not strong long‑distance flyers.

Dijab shares the top 10 conditions leading to myiasis in Mexico, with umbilical being No. 1.

(Data source: COPEG)

2. Current NWS Spread Pattern in Mexico Strongly Suggests Illegal Movement of Animals, Not Just Fly Movement

“One of the primary modes of movement of this fly is not flying of the fly; it’s a set of 18 wheels doing probably 60 or 70 [mph] down the road,” Dijab says. “Southern Veracruz had a pretty healthy number of the cases. Then suddenly it jumped into the middle of Tamaulipas, which clearly showed there was illegal movement.”

Due to this concern, USDA took the proactive action to start dispersing sterile flies in the southeast corner of Texas as well.

3. Sterile Insect Technique Is Key

The U.S. has long relied on sterile insect release as its primary eradication tool.
Panama facility (COPECA) currently produces approximately 100 million sterile pupae a week.
“This is what’s keeping us alive right now,” Dijab says. “This is the reason that we don’t have a New World Screwworm on the U.S. soil.”
A new U.S. facility is planned at Moore Air Base in South Texas. Dijab says the construction award is targeted for March/April, with an operational goal of 300-million sterile flies a week by 2027. He adds they expect a six-to-eight-month ramp‑up.
The U.S. is collaborating with Mexico in remodeling a fruit-fly facility in Metapa, Chiapas. The U.S. is investing approximately $21 million. The goal is 100 million sterile flies a week, with first output expected late summer.
The combined goal is approximately 500 million sterile flies a week, similar to volumes used in the 1990s’ eradication to the Darién Gap.

Dijab summarizes that APHIS is rebuilding and expanding sterile fly capacity to historical eradication levels, which is essential for long‑term regional control and eventual border reopening.

4. The U.S. is Using a Layered Defense: Strict Import Controls, Active Surveillance and Border Trapping to Detect Any Incursion Early

The two main surveillance streams are:

The Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician (FADD) network of 400 trained federal and state veterinarians.
Trap lines along the U.S.-Mexico border, placed near water, livestock and greenery.

Dijab says that, since June, there have been more than 300 FAD NWS investigations, with zero findings so far and more than 900 hide/wildlife inspections. He adds that what scares him the most regarding NWS is wildlife.

Read More: The Importance of Wildlife Monitoring for New World Screwworm

U.S. Begins Dropping Sterile Flies in Texas to Stop Screwworm

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 04:03:31 GMT

New World screwworm (NWS) is inching closer to the U.S. Last week Mexico reported eight new cases in the U.S. neighboring-state of Tamaulipas. A key to slowing down the threat is being proactive.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) import requirements and protocols are one line of defense for NWS and other foreign animal diseases that threaten U.S. livestock. According to USDA , earlier this week, a horse from Argentina was presented for routine importation at an equine import quarantine facility in Florida.

“Upon examination, APHIS identified an open wound with larvae on the animal and promptly collected and shipped samples to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Iowa. The horse was immediately treated with medication to kill any larvae in accordance with standard, long-standing import protocols.” the release explains . “This morning, NVSL confirmed that the larvae were NWS larvae. Accordingly, the animal will remain in quarantine until it has been reexamined and determined to be free of NWS.”

This is an example of import protocols working as designed. While this situation does not appear to be associated with the NWS outbreak in Mexico, the release says it underscores the need for vigilance in all of USDA’s coordinated efforts to fight NWS.

New Action To Prevent Northward Spread

Friday, Jan. 30, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a shift in its 100-million-per-week sterile fly dispersal efforts .

“USDA will reallocate aircraft and sterile insects to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border,” according to the release. “The new dispersal area, or polygon, will include operations about 50 miles into Texas, along the U.S. border with the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile insects are critical components of an effective strategy to fight NWS. Other tools including import protocols and surveillance continue to support these robust efforts to keep NWS out of the U.S.”

Dudley Hoskins, USDA undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs, says, “At Secretary Rollins’ direction, our highest priority is protecting the United States from screwworm. The northernmost active case of NWS in Mexico is still about 200 miles away from the border, but we’ve seen cases continue to spread in Tamaulipas and further south in Mexico, so we are proactively shifting our polygon as we make every effort to prevent NWS from reaching our border.”

This follows Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s actions on Thursday issuing a statewide disaster declaration to better equip the Texas NWS Response Team to prevent the potential spread of the NWS fly into Texas and to better protect livestock and wildlife.

“Although the New World screwworm fly is not yet present in Texas or the U.S., its northward spread from Mexico toward the U.S. southern border poses a serious threat to Texas’ livestock industry and wildlife,” said Governor Abbott. “State law authorizes me to act to prevent a threat of infestation that could cause severe damage to Texas property, and I will not wait for such harm to reach our livestock and wildlife. With this statewide disaster declaration, the Texas NWS Response Team can fully utilize all state government prevention and response resources to prevent the re-emergence of this destructive parasite. Texas is prepared to fully eradicate this pest if need be.”

Sterile Flies are Key to Stopping NWS

Sterile insect technique, when paired with surveillance, movement restrictions and education and outreach, is an effective tool for controlling and eradicating NWS. Female NWS flies only mate once in their lives, so if they mate with a sterile male, they lay unfertilized eggs that don’t hatch.

Releasing sterile flies just outside of affected areas helps ensure flies traveling to new areas will only encounter sterile mates and will not be able to reproduce.

The updated strategy will include: “USDA will release sterile flies north of the current active NWS cases in Mexico in a proactive effort to create a sterile reproduction buffer zone if the fly moves north from Mexico.”

Because it is important to continue ongoing surveillance efforts while releasing sterile insects, it is possible that sterile NWS flies could be caught and/or reported within Texas. To ensure officials can tell the difference between sterile and wild NWS flies, USDA will dye the sterile pupae, and the dye will transfer to the sterile flies when they hatch. The fluorescent dye will glow under UV light and may also be visible to the naked eye. If a sterile fly is captured in a trap, this dye will allow animal health officials to quickly rule the fly out as a threat.

“USDA will continue to deploy its intensive NWS response efforts including implementing import protocols, ongoing surveillance and trapping efforts along the border, investing in NWS innovation, and supporting robust response activities in Mexico and Central America,” the release says.

Surveillance, Monitoring and Reporting Continues

USDA continues to lead intensive surveillance and monitoring systems along the U.S. border. Teams continue to check 121 NWS-specific traps across high-risk areas of border states and leverage thousands of fruit fly/insect traps aligned all along the Southern border. To date, more than 42,000 flies from traps in all locations have been submitted to APHIS NVSL for identification, with no NWS detections to date.

APHIS Wildlife Services is also leading a coordinated effort to inspect wildlife for signs of NWS infestation. To date, they’ve inspected more than 9,300 wild animals across 39 different species and 131 U.S. counties and found no signs of NWS infestations.

Texas Takes Preemptive Action

The Texas release says Governor Abbott actions against the threat posed by NWS include:

Directing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to establish a joint Texas NWS Response Team.
Partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins to create a new $750 million Domestic Sterile NWS Production Facility in Edinburg, Texas.

“I’m glad to see the urgency from the governor’s office matching the seriousness of this threat,” says Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller. “The Governor’s disaster declaration gives his task force greater authority, resources, and speed needed to confront the growing threat posed by the New World screwworm. This is a serious risk to our livestock industry and one that the Texas Department of Agriculture has been preparing for through our own heightened surveillance, coordination, and response planning.”

Miller adds, “This fight requires every available resource to be thrown at it without delay, and TDA will continue to work alongside our state and federal partners to protect our livestock, pets, wildlife, and Texas communities.”

For more information on NWS and USDA’s efforts, visit Screwworm.gov

USDA Announces New World Screwworm Grand Challenge

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:47:36 GMT

Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of the N ew World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge. This funding opportunity marks a pivotal step in USDA’s comprehensive strategy to combat NWS and prevent its northward spread.

“This is a strategic investment in America’s farmers and ranchers and is an important action to ensure the safety and future success of our food supply, which is essential to our national security,” Rollins says. “These are the kinds of innovations that will help us stay ahead of this pest and protect our food supply and our economy, protecting the way of life of our ranchers and go towards rebuilding our cattle herd to lower consumer prices on grocery store shelves. We know we have tried-and-true tools and methods to defeat this pest, but we must constantly look for new and better methods and innovate our way to success. Together, through science, innovation, and collaboration, we can ensure we’re utilizing the latest tools and technology to combat NWS in Mexico and Central America and keep it out of the United States.”

As part of the Grand Challenge, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will make up to $100 million available to support innovative projects that enhance sterile NWS fly production, strengthen preparedness and response strategies, and safeguard U.S. agriculture, animal health, and trade.

Priority Areas for Funding

APHIS invites proposals that support one or more of the following objectives:

Enhance sterile NWS fly production
Develop novel NWS traps and lures
Develop and increase understanding of NWS therapeutics/treatments (i.e., products that could treat, prevent, or control NWS) for animals
Develop other tools to bolster preparedness or response to NWS

The notice of funding opportunity, including application instructions, eligibility, and program requirements, is available on the NWS Grand Challenge webpage . Applicants can also find information on the ezFedGrants website  or  Grants.gov  by searching USDA-APHIS-10025-OA000000-26-0001.  

Eligible applicants are invited to submit proposals that align with and support these priorities by the deadline on February 23, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Entities interested in submitting a proposal should ensure they are registered with the  U.S. Government System for Award Management (SAM) . Learn more about the basics of the funding process and  how to get ready to apply .  

Your Next Reads:
New World Screwworm Found in Newborn Calf 197 Miles from U.S.-Mexico Border
USDA Launches Screwworm.gov
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Can Cattle Recover From the NWS Selloff? Grains Ease on EU Tariff Fears

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:08:03 GMT

Cattle futures are mostly higher early Tuesday as well as hogs, while grains are slightly lower

Can Cattle Recover From NWS Selloff?
Live and feeder cattle futures are trying to recover after a selloff of over $4 in live cattle and $8 in feeder cattle on Friday. Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says the markets were down sharply on Friday due to an unconfirmed rumor of New World Screwworm (NWS) in the New Mexico. Fear was also tied to comments by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller who stated that NWS cases only 215 miles from the Texas border warranted increased monitoring by producers. USDA later confirmed there were no positive cases.

So can the market recover now that there is no confirmed NWS case? Kooima says that would normally be the school of thought. However, with outside markets seeing risk off selling that may temper some of the buying interest in cattle today.

Risk Off Market Place Holding Back Cattle
Over the weekend the U.S. announced a 10% tariff on eight European countries starting on Feb. 1 if the EU did not sell Greenland to the United States. The EU responded with the possibility of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. companies operating in Europe of $93 billion Euros. Kooima says the bigger concern is that this will anger China or spark a possible move by Beijing to take over Taiwan. All of this could upset the U.S. China trade truce which would be negative for the outside and equity markets and that could spill over negatively on the cattle futures.

Cash Cattle Trade Steady Last Week, Key for Direction This Week
Kooima says he thought it was encouraging the selloff in the futures Friday only resulted in tempering the fed cash trade slightly as mostly steady cash trades took place in the North and South. The South traded $233 to $234 live and the North was $365 dressed and mostly $232 live. This week’s cash trade will be key to helping the futures market recover and he is hopeful for slightly higher prices. Although cash trade could be stalled until Friday after the USDA Cattle on Feed Report.

Cattle on Feed Friday
Kooima says the report should remind the trade how tight inventory is. “We aren’t even into the tightest numbers yet,” he reiterated, “And this report should reinforce that with the lighter placements, especially in the South due to the lack of Mexican feeder cattle being placed in feedlots.”

Lean Hog Futures Hitting Contract Highs
Lean hog futures were mostly lower again Tuesday morning making more contract highs in the April through the deferred futures. The market has seen fund buying pushing the rally but its also related to disease problems that are lifting isowean pig prices over $100 and creating another marketing hole for the summer months.

Grains Ease on EU Tariff Fears
After a higher close Friday, the grain markets are easing back with fears about retaliation from the EU or even China plus the risk off selling in outside markets is spillover over. Kooima says even without that negative news the grain markets don’t have much positive to trade on. He says the bigger supplies in the last Monday’s USDA reports is likely to keep a lid on prices, in addition to Brazil’s record soybean crop starting to come to the market.

As Screwworm Inches Closer, When Could the U.S. Reopen the Southern Border to Cattle Imports?

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:49:09 GMT

A newly confirmed case of New World screwworm (NWS) in northern Mexico is renewing concern among U.S. cattle producers and policymakers, as the parasitic fly continues to inch closer to the U.S.-Mexico border.

As reported by Drovers, on Dec. 27, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a case of NWS in a 6-day-old calf with an umbilical lesion in the municipality of Llera, located in the state of Tamaulipas. The location is approximately 197 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border, and a reminder that NWS is still a high threat to the U.S.

Critical Timing with Calving Season Approaching

NWS, which was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s through an extensive sterile fly program, poses a serious threat to livestock. The larvae infest open wounds, feeding on living tissue and often leading to severe injury or death if untreated. Calving season is considered a particularly vulnerable period due to natural points of entry such as navels and birthing injuries.

Seth Meyer, director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) and former chief economist for USDA, says the new case raises a tremendous amount of concern as USDA remains vigilant on keeping NWS out of the U.S. But Meyer says the growing proximity of NWS complicates already difficult decisions for cattle producers at calving season , which is a critical time of the year.

“There are concerns not just from a consumer standpoint, but also about whether southern producers are willing to retain heifers during calving season if there’s a risk of fly exposure,” he says. “Calving is a point of access for these animals, and that risk matters.”

Those decisions could have longer-term implications for herd expansion and cattle supplies, Meyer notes. If producers decide the risk is too great and opt against retaining replacement heifers, it could tighten supplies further down the road.

“That’s the last thing you want,” Meyer says. “You don’t want people giving up on retaining heifers and turning away from herd rebuilding.”

The Possibility of Reopening the Southern Border

The U.S. most recently closed its southern border to Mexican cattle imports in May of 2025 due to the rapid spread of NWS in Mexico. There were additional closures and reopenings in July 2025 as the situation evolved ultimately halting trade again to protect U.S. livestock.

Here’s a timeline so far:

November 2024: NWS was first detected in southern Mexico, leading to initial border closures and trade disruptions.
Feb. 1, 2025: A temporary ban was lifted after agreements for inspections.
May 11, 2025: U.S Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins ordered an immediate suspension of imports due to NWS spreading closer to the border.
July 2025: A phased reopening began but was halted again after new NWS cases were found farther north, leading to another immediate closure of southern ports to protect American livestock.

Considering the cattle just south of the border are being vigilantly monitored and inspected, the bigger threat of NWS crossing the Southern border could be through wildlife . Still, as NWS gets closer, USDA is keeping the border closed and remaining cautious.

When could the U.S. reopen the border? That’s exactly what Farm Journal asked economists in the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor and the responses were extremely mixed. It’s important to note the survey was sent out prior to the most recent detection of NWS.

33% of economists say USDA could reopen the border in February 2026
25% say it could happen April through June
17% think the border could reopen July through September
And 17% were unsure.

For policymakers, the situation adds another layer of complexity as they balance animal health, trade and producer confidence. While officials stress that there is no immediate threat to the U.S. herd, the latest detection underscores the importance of surveillance, rapid response and continued cooperation between U.S. and Mexican animal health authorities.

As Meyer puts it: “There are a lot of balls in the air right now,” and preventing NWS from crossing the border remains a critical priority for the livestock industry on both sides.

Follow Farm Journal’s extensive coverage of the ongoing NWS situation.

What Keeps Beef Producers Up at Night?

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:08:01 GMT

Worry — it is an anxious way of thinking. It usually involves thoughts about what bad things might happen in the future and if you can cope with them.

In the beef industry, the list of things producers and stakeholders worry or stress about can be long and exhaustive.

Here’s a list of some of those key stressors keeping producers up at night:

1. Fear of Animal Diseases

Troy Rowan, University of Tennessee assistant professor, summarizes: “As with most folks, I’m concerned about emerging animal diseases like New World screwworm (NWS) and foot-and-mouth disease, and the cascading impacts they could have on the industry.”

Texas beef producer Donnell Brown agrees a top concern on his mind is NWS.

“As temperatures rise this spring and fly season begins again, I am deeply concerned that we could see an outbreak with devastating consequences for livestock and wildlife,” Brown says. “We still lack practical ways to treat or protect wildlife. After the screwworms were eradicated in the 1970s, it was 15 years before I remember seeing deer on our ranch. Today, deer are abundant and hunting has become a major economic driver for ranchers and rural communities. If screwworms cause significant wildlife losses, the ripple effects would be severe.”

Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), says the top five thing that keep him up at night are: “Foot-and-mouth disease, foot-and-mouth disease, foot-and-mouth disease, foot-and-mouth disease and foot-and-mouth disease.”

He explains: “We have a lot of good things that are going on, and yes, we spend a lot of time talking about New World screwworm, but we have the tools able to address New World screwworm. Foot-and-mouth disease is still kind of that unknown, and we understand that in working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, they know they have proof that terror groups around the country have access to the foot-and-mouth disease virus, and that a pin full is all they need to be able to come in and absolutely send our market into chaos — our industry into chaos, our food supply into chaos and the economics around all of those into chaos.”

He says that fact is why NCBA spends so much time working with USDA, state associations like KLA and state animal health officials to make sure the industry is prepared in the event we have reintroduction of foot-and-mouth disease.

“We haven’t had it since 1929 but it’s going to come again, and NCBA is spending it just about every waiting moment we can to make sure we’re prepared,” Woodall says.

Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist, adds, “I worry about when, not if, a disease like foot-and-mouth will be introduced that will cripple our markets and supply chain.”

Lemenager agrees NWS is a concern, but in his part of the country a bigger concern is the Asian Longhorned Tick and Theileria.

Check out these related articles:
Foot And Mouth Disease: Producers Should Be Prepared
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm
5 Livestock Diseases That Could Impact U.S. Food Security and Economic Stability
Theileria and the Asian Longhorned Tick: What Beef Producers Need to Know

2. Weather Challenges

Kansas beef producer Debbie Lyons-Blythe says there are a number of challenges that worry her family.

“No. 1 is Mother Nature,” she says. “Everything we do day-to-day and long-term is tied to weather. Even the markets are tied to what Mother Nature is doing across the nation.”

Cyndi Van Newkirk of Van Newkirk Herefords agrees weather is a big stressor for her family who are seedstock producers in the Nebraska Sandhills.

Lemenager says with multiple years of short rainfall in a number of different areas he is concerned with drought and that impact on corn, bean and hay prices as well as hay availability.

“The variability in the weather and the marketplace are always concerns to worry about,” he adds.

Cattle producer and extension educator Shad Marston from Canton, Kan., says the possibility of extreme severe weather is what keeps him up at night.

“Two years ago in January, we had a really cold week, right at our beginning of the calving season. We only had three calves on the ground,” he remembers. “The temperatures were well below our normal cold temperatures, and the snow created it hard to even get out of the house. We never lost any cattle or calves, but that week was a challenge. Everything on our ranch froze up — waters, tractor and skid steer. We only had one truck running and it just had a flatbed on it with no bale bed.”

Marston says they had to haul small square bales to the cows from the barn for two days until a neighbor came and loaded round bales on the flatbed to take to the cows.

“We parked on top of the hill and let the bales roll off and down the small hill for the cows to eat and bed down on. A couple of times, we had to tie the bales to a tree to get them off the flat bed. We could not risk getting the truck stuck, because that’s all we had to feed them with, and very few neighbors were able to help if anyone had problems,” he describes. “I remember lying in bed at night wondering if we were going to make it the next day. We could of easily lost some of the cattle. So being prepared is my worst fear and I’ve tried to always have a plan for the worst. Extra feed on hand, fuel additive in equipment and enough supplies on hand to make it if we can’t get to town for a week are lessons we have learned the hard way.”

Check out these related articles:
Ranching Parched Land: Strategies for Drought Resilience
Avoiding The Calfcicle: Calving in Winter Weather
Ranchers Make Tough Decisions to Weather Intense Southwest Drought
Weather Swings Bring Mud and Concerns About Calf Health
Normal La Niña Pattern to Return By Thanksgiving

3. The Cattle Market

For South Dakota cattle producer Ken Odde, he says what keeps him up at night is anything that might “crash the market.”

“I am thinking about both fed cattle and feeder cattle markets,” Odde explains. “Foot-and-mouth disease is high on the list for me, and it doesn’t seem to get much attention recently.”

Van Newkirk agrees the markets and overthinking market swings are a concern.

Check out these related articles:
What Does the Bullish Cattle on Feed Report Mean for the Beef Industry in 2026?
Uncertainty: The Word of 2025 for the Cattle Market
$4 Feeder Cattle: Dream or Reality?
Cattle Market Roller Coaster Continues: Mexican Ag Minister Announces U.S. Visit to Discuss Border Opening
Navigate Market Volatility with Risk Management Strategies

4. Beef Supply and Consumer Demand

“We had the smallest calf crop since 1941,” says Ron Lemenager, Purdue University beef specialist. “Put that with the closure of the Mexico border due to New World screwworm and we have a limited supply. As a producer I like the higher prices, but from a consumer standpoint, at what point are they going to walk away from beef and go to chicken or some other protein source.”

Brown explains supply and demand ultimately govern this market.

“If we lose feedyards and packing capacity, we weaken the demand side of the equation,” he says. “Over time, that reduced demand would place downward pressure on feeder cattle prices, undermining the very producers who are benefiting from today’s high prices.”

Jason Warner, Kansas State University cow-calf extension specialist, says: “In the short term, I am concerned about what could happen to the beef industry if there is a major drop in consumer demand for beef, and the potential ramifications to the cow-calf producer if calf prices substantially drop considering how high cow/heifer prices are right now. I think knowing cow production costs will be important going forward.”

Woodall summarizes consumer sentiment remains the bedrock of the industry’s success.

“As long as the consumer is with us, as long as they are choosing to buy beef, then we have a bright future,” he says.

Woodall credits generations of producers for bolstering herd quality and producing a product people want, not just need, to buy.

Check out these related articles:
Consumer Craze for Protein Drives Beef Demand
Beef Industry Chaos: Tight Supplies, Strong Consumer Demand and Political Interference
What Does Talk of $10 Ground Beef Mean to Producers?
How Many Minutes Does a Consumer Have to Work to Buy A Pound of Ground Beef?

5. Government Interference

Lyons-Blythe says another concern is government interference in market disruptions and environmental regulations.

Woodall adds we need to keep the government out of the cattle market.

“We want to be able to grow this industry,” Woodall says. “As producers, one of the best things you can do is call your member of Congress, call your two senators, and tell them to be advocates for us. We don’t need new programs. We don’t need a return of things like mandatory country of origin labeling. We simply need the government to stay out of the marketplace.”

Check out these related articles:
Did the Administration’s Plan to Lower Beef Prices Wreck the Bull Run in the Cattle Market?
Beef Producers React to USDA’s Plan to Fortify Industry and Trump’s Social Media Comments
USDA Has No Plans for Financial Incentives to Rebuild Cattle Herd

Other Industry Challenges

“One other thing that concerns me is the closing of some of our packing plants,” Lemenager says. “While I understand they need a steady supply of cattle to cover their overhead costs, but will they ramp back up when cattle numbers return?”

Lyons-Blythe says a local concern is the invasion of the cedar tree into the Flint Hills.

“I think in the last 30 years, we have seen such a tremendous encroachment and a lot of the prairie lost due to the cedar tree,” she explains.

Rowan, a beef cattle geneticist adds: “From a genetics perspective, I’m constantly thinking about how we will deal with the antagonisms between growth and carcass weight and grazing cow efficiency.”

Van Newkirk explains family dynamics is another challenge multi-generational beef producers face.

Check out these related articles:
Shrinking Slaughter Capacity: What’s Next in 2026?
Prescribed Burns: Keeping the Prairie Alive; Preventing Wildfires
CattleFax Predicts Profitability Despite Increased Uncertainty
Impacts of Heavier Carcass Weights
Back to the Basics: Terminal Crossbreeding Bridges Cow-Calf Efficiency and Carcass Value
5 Steps to Successful Transition Planning
How to Find Peace During Generational Transitions

Lyons-Blythe says when asking her sons what keeps them up at night their response is the upcoming calving season.

“It not only keeps them up, but it gets them up as they check heifers all night and day,” she says.

Don’t worry, we’ll tackle that challenge next week with our calving preparation blitz week on Drovers.com.

New World Screwworm Found in Newborn Calf 197 Miles from U.S.-Mexico Border

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:15:46 GMT

On Dec. 27, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in a 6-day-old calf with an umbilical lesion in Llera, located in the state of Tamaulipas, approximately 197 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission, there have been no other detections in Tamaulipas or any evidence of established fly populations in the area.

To support a swift response if NWS reaches Texas, producers located on the southern border and travelers from NWS-affected areas should closely monitor animals for signs and promptly report suspected cases of NWS.

Read more about how to identify NWS:
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

A suspected NWS case requires immediate action, but it all starts with one thing: your call. If you suspect an infestation, report it right away.

The Texas Animal Health Commission recently posted this video explaining the process for producers to take if they suspect a NWS case:

What Are Some Key Concerns if NWS Crosses the Border?

Texas beef producer Donnell Brown says NWS poses a real threat to rural America.

“Fortunately, we made it to winter without a major screwworm infestation in the United States,” he says. However, as temperatures rise this spring and fly season begins again, I am deeply concerned that we could see an outbreak with devastating consequences for livestock and wildlife.”

Read more about NWS and winter:
Winter: The Secret to Slowing the Spread of Screwworm

Brown recalls the previous NWS outbreak in Texas.

“Compared to the last screwworm epidemic I experienced as a child, we now have far more effective parasiticides with extended protection for livestock,” he says. “Unfortunately, we still lack practical ways to treat or protect wildlife. After the screwworms were eradicated in the 1970s, it was 15 years before I remember seeing deer on our ranch. Today, deer are abundant and hunting has become a major economic driver for ranchers and rural communities.”

Read more about NWS treatment and prevention options:

FDA Approves Exzolt Cattle-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm
FDA Approves Dectomax-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm
New Technology to Combat New World Screwworm

Browns says if NWS cause significant wildlife losses, the ripple effects would be severe.

“Fewer hunters would travel from cities to rural areas, reducing spending on food, fuel, feed, lodging and other local necessities. This would harm rural economies already under pressure,” he explains. “The risk is especially high because fawns and many other wild mammals are born during fly season. Their wet navels become prime targets for screwworm infestation, making the potential impact on wildlife populations both immediate and profound.”

Read more about NWS and wildlife:
The Importance of Wildlife Monitoring for New World Screwworm

Sterile Flies Remain Key to Eradicating New World Screwworm

“The continued detections of New World screwworm near the Texas border are grim reminders of the serious threat this pest poses to our state,” says Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “Thanks to the efforts of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and APHIS working in coordination with Mexico, its northward spread has been halted, and this recent case promises to be a one-off, for now. But to fully eradicate this threat, the bottom line remains unchanged: we need sterile flies. I said as much a year ago when I criticized the Biden Administration’s failed efforts to corral this pest — dollars don’t kill screwworms, sterile flies do.”

Under President Trump’s leadership, Secretary Rollins and the USDA have now committed to a historic, targeted response that will deliver real results.

“Earlier this year, I was proud to stand alongside Secretary Rollins in Edinburg, Texas, as she unveiled her comprehensive five-point plan , and again at the Texas Capitol as that plan was expanded ,” Miller says. “I will continue to support and advocate for federal efforts to expand sterile insect fly production and infrastructure, because this proven strategy is key to the long-term eradication of New World screwworm.”

Current information related to NWS is available on the USDA-APHIS website , including a current situation map and table showing cases within 400 miles of the U.S.

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FDA Approves Exzolt Cattle-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 18:42:23 GMT

On December 4, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted conditional approval to Exzolt Cattle-CA1, a fluralaner topical solution from Merck Animal Health, for the use in beef cattle (≥ 2 months of age) and replacement dairy heifers (< 20 months of age). The approved uses include prevention and treatment of larval infestations by New World screwworm (NWS), and treatment and control of cattle fever tick.

“The FDA is leveraging every resource and authority at its disposal to ensure producers and veterinarians have the critical products they need to protect their livestock and safeguard our food supply against NWS and cattle fever tick,” said Timothy Schell, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, in a press release . “We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that animal drugs are safe and effective and that food from treated animals is safe to eat.”

While NWS has not yet been detected in the U.S., the threat persists just south of the border with a new case being reported yesterday. Cattle fever ticks, present along the U.S.-Mexico border in south Texas, are competent vectors of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina — agents of bovine babesiosis (Texas cattle fever).

“The threat of New World screwworm represents a growing concern to U.S. agriculture, potentially causing devastating economic losses for cattle producers that could reach hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Rick DeLuca, president of Merck Animal Health, in a news release . “We worked closely with the FDA to accelerate availability so that veterinarians and cattle producers will have access to a powerful new tool to protect cattle from these serious parasites, helping to safeguard the industry’s economic future and the nation’s beef supply.”

The conditional approval status reflects FDA’s determination that Exzolt Cattle-CA1 is safe for its labeled use and is reasonably expected to be effective, while requiring that its sponsor, Merck Animal Health, submit further data demonstrating its effectiveness over the next five years to support full approval.

Administration and Use Considerations

Exzolt Cattle-CA1 is a ready-to-use pour-on that delivers the active ingredient, fluralaner, to act systemically against infestations. Administration involves applying a narrow band of the solution from between the shoulder blades to the tailhead. It will be available in the first quarter of 2026 by prescription in 250 mL, 1 L or 5 L bottles.

After administration, there is a 98-day withdrawal period before slaughter to ensure meat from treated animals is free of drug residues. Use is prohibited in lactating dairy cattle, dairy calves, veal calves or bulls over one year of age that are intended for breeding.

This approval of Exzolt Cattle-CA1 complements that of Dectomax-CA1 , which was authorized in September 2025 for prevention and treatment of NWS infestations in cattle. Together, these two products give veterinarians and producers their first pharmacologic defenses against NWS.

Second Screwworm Detection 120 Miles from U.S. Border

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:54:05 GMT

There was a new detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, approximately 120 miles south of the Texas border.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the case in a 22-month-old bovine transported from Veracruz to a feedlot in Nuevo León.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a press release emphasized that Texas remains free from detection, but that state officials and agriculture leaders cannot be complacent.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today issued the following statement after being notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of a new detection of the New World screwworm (NWS) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, approximately 120 miles south of the Texas… pic.twitter.com/Wb3uIwW3gf
— Texas Agriculture (@TexasDeptofAg) December 3, 2025

“We will keep working shoulder to shoulder with USDA, Mexican animal health authorities, and our own state agency partners to defend our border and Texans from this dangerous threat. We will protect our livestock, safeguard our economy, and do everything possible to keep the New World screwworm at bay,” Miller says.

He also encourages Texas producers to remain watchful for suspicious wounds, unhealed tissue, or maggot activity in livestock, wildlife, and pets, particularly in locations near the border.

Producers who suspect NWS should immediately contact their local veterinarian and state authorities. Early detection, strict livestock movement controls, screwworm fly suppression and rapid response are the best tools to combat this serious threat.

This detection marks the northernmost active case currently found in Mexico. It is also the second detection at the same Nuevo León feedlot since October. No additional cases were linked to the October detection, and both events appear tied to livestock movements from southern Mexico.

For more on NWS, including a current list of NWS detections within 400 miles of the U.S. visit Screwworm.gov .

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USDA Launches Screwworm.gov

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 20:01:40 GMT

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched the new nnified New World screwworm (NWS) website, screwworm.gov . This dynamic new site centralizes NWS information available across the federal government and reflects our whole-of-government effort to fight this pest through implementation of Secretary Rollins’ comprehensive five-pronged plan .

“The Trump Administration is leading a whole of government effort to protect our nation’s cattle industry from the New World Screwworm. To ensure timely and effective communications, this new unified website will be a one stop shop for all screwworm related information and will help our stakeholders be better informed as new information comes available,” Rollins says in a news release . “We are grateful for the robust interagency collaboration, and we continue to work every day with our state and industry partners to implement our screwworm plan. This is a national security priority and it has the full attention of our team.”

Screwworm.gov has targeted resources for a wide range of stakeholders including livestock producers, veterinarians, animal health officials, wildlife professionals, healthcare providers, pet owners, researchers, drug manufacturers and the general public. It also has the latest USDA-verified information on cases and response activities in Mexico and U.S. preparedness efforts.

NWS Update

In a press release Friday, APHIS shared an update on the battle against NWS. According to the release, USADA in close collaboration with its interagency partners and Mexico’s El Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA), has made considerable progress in reducing the overall threat of NWS to U.S. agriculture and mitigating northern movement of the fly within Mexico.

As of Nov. 21, NWS has not been detected in any animals or traps in the U.S., and the vast majority of cases within Mexico remain concentrated in southern parts of the country. The Trump Administration remains steadfast in its resolve to safeguard America’s rural economy, domestic food supply, and public health from this invasive pest.

“USDA is actively investing in physical infrastructure to expand our capacity for sterile fly production and dispersal, while APHIS’ technical experts continue their intensive work across multiple programs and disciplines to further strengthen our strategic planning and domestic preparedness,” the press release says.

Cross-Border Response and Collaboration

In October, USDA conducted its most recent audit of NWS response activities in Mexico. Evaluators documented great progress in management of NWS, with robust outreach and education, effective emergency response and treatment protocols, and expansion of the workforce and surveillance. While there is still work to be done, USDA and SENASICA are committed to continued collaboration to implement the joint NWS action plan.

“In the event of case detection in a new (previously NWS-“Free”) location within Mexico, USDA teams are on the ground working alongside SENASICA counterparts to ensure treatment of affected animals, epidemiological tracing, local surveillance, and timely dispersal of sterile flies,” the release explains.

The two isolated NWS cases in cattle in Nuevo León were categorized as “inactive” by SENASICA last month, after the animals received antiparasitic treatment and completed 21-day quarantines. No additional NWS cases or non-sterile flies have been identified through intensive surveillance and trapping in Nuevo León or any other border State.

As a precaution, APHIS will continue to direct the release of sterile flies across these northernmost detection areas until December. On Nov. 11, an NWS case was detected in Guerrero State (502 miles from the U.S. border). As with the Nuevo León cases, USDA had a sterile fly dispersal plan in place within 12 hours of notification. As of Nov. 21, the active case closest to the U.S. is in central Veracruz State, around 425 miles from the border.

In early November, President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed Secretary Rollins and her team to the Presidential Palace to discuss continued collaboration on shared challenges including NWS, and the Secretary attended a separate meeting with SENASICA to review bilateral response activities. USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins accompanied Rollins on the trip and visited the State of Chiapas to review NWS containment practices and enforcement.

Protecting the Border and Maximizing Our Readiness

USDA personnel at the southern border continue to strengthen monitoring systems for NWS. APHIS has equipped counties along the southern border in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California with approximately 120 monitored NWS-specific fly traps and more than 7,000 fruit fly “double duty” traps. To date, more than 30,000 U.S.-trapped flies have been submitted for NWS analysis; as of Nov. 21, all flies have been confirmed to be negative. Meanwhile, APHIS Wildlife Services teams have examined at least 6,642 wild animals across 28 species in 120 U.S. counties, finding all to be free of NWS infestation.

“Should this pest enter the United States in the future, we have the tools, resources, and response plans in place to rapidly contain and eradicate it,” the release stresses.

Following the Oct. 17 release of the draft NWS Response Playbook , APHIS Veterinary Services has been actively collecting stakeholder feedback to ensure the playbook’s operational useability and alignment with State and Federal response capabilities. The playbook and accompanying materials are living, dynamic documents that will continue to be refined in the coming months; comments and suggestions may be submitted to fad.prep.comments@usda.gov .

Taking the Fight to NWS

The release says COPEG’s sterile NWS production facility in Pacora, Panama, is operating at maximum production capacity (approximately 100 million flies per week). Aerial dispersal of sterile flies has continued uninterrupted in NWS-affected areas of southern Mexico, where joint response activities with SENASICA are largely focused.

On Nov. 13, APHIS announced the opening of a new sterile insect dispersal center in Tampico (Tamaulipas State), allowing for aerial dispersal over the detection sites in Nuevo León and replacing the use of ground release chambers in that location.

“This investment represents an important step forward in the NWS response as it creates greater flexibility and predictability in our deployment of sterile insects across northern Mexico and along the border, if necessary,” according to the release.

Construction is progressing on the sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in McAllen, Texas, and it is on track to be operational in early 2026. USDA also continues to work closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on planning for the domestic production facility for sterile flies.

In early November, COPEG hosted a team of technical experts from USACE, who were able to observe the production process firsthand and learn about facility requirements.

USDA is in the process of finalizing details for the NWS Grand Challenge — up to $100 million of new funding to combat the pest and prevent its spread northward. We’re calling on innovators, researchers, and industry leaders to help us enhance sterile NWS fly production and strengthen preparedness. Potential projects might include: enhancement of sterile NWS fly production; development of novel NWS traps and lures; increased understanding of NWS therapeutics/treatments in animals; or other tools to bolster U.S. preparedness or response to NWS. Monitor screwworm.gov and the APHIS stakeholder registry for updates on this opportunity.

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Next Step in the Screwworm Fight: USDA Announces Opening of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Tampico, Mexico

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:13:01 GMT

USDA announced Thursday the opening of a sterile fly dispersal facility in Tampico, Mexico. The Tampico facility will allow USDA to disperse sterile flies aerially across northeastern Mexico, including in Nuevo Leon. This announcement is the next milestone in the fight against New World screwworm (NWS).

“The opening of the Tampico sterile fly dispersal facility is another incredibly important tool in our arsenal to stop the spread of screwworm. The facility will ensure flexibility and responsiveness in northern Mexico, giving us a greater ability to drop sterile flies and continue to push the pest south,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a press release . “Stopping the spread of screwworm is a top priority for the entire Trump administration.”

Last week Rollins met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her counterpart Secretary Julio Berdegue on the joint response to NWS.

“We are boosting our efforts and completing a joint review of our screwworm operations in Mexico to ensure our protocols are being followed,” she says. “As we enter the winter months , we continue to prioritize the response in Mexico and the rest of our five-pronged plan to protect U.S. livestock and the livelihoods of American farmers and ranchers.”

A proven method for NWS eradication is releasing sterile male flies to mate with wild females collapsing the population over time. There are two methods of dispersing sterile insects – aerial dispersal and ground release chambers. Aerial operations are preferred because they allow for dispersal at a steady rate through a large area and also because sterile insects may be dispersed in areas that are unreachable from the ground. Ground release chambers are used when there’s a need to quickly deploy sterile insects outside of the dispersal facility range.

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The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

According to the press release, USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico, but until now, aerial operations have been limited to southern Mexico, necessitating the use of ground release chambers in more northern areas of the country. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile flies remain critical components of our effective response.

Although Mexico continues to confirm new cases of NWS, the overwhelming majority of these remain in the far southern part of the country, with no significant northward expansion over the past several months. Should that change, the Tampico facility will allow USDA to immediately tackle any cases that occur elsewhere in Mexico.

The two northernmost detections (approximately 70 and 170 miles from the U.S. border, respectively) occurred in Nuevo León, on Sept. 20 and Oct. 5 , in young cattle transported from Chiapas, Mexico.

Neither case is still active and there have been no additional detections of NWS flies in traps or cases in animals in Nuevo Leon. USDA continues to disperse sterile insects in Nuevo Leon, and will now transition from ground release chambers to aerial dispersal in those areas.

USDA produces sterile flies for dispersal at the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa — which will double NWS production capacity once complete. With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates this sterile fly production to begin as soon as summer 2026.

To expand our domestic response capacity, USDA has also begun construction on a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, that is projected to begin operating in early 2026. APHIS is also expediting design and construction of a sterile fly production facility in southern Texas, with a targeted maximum capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week.

USDA continues to work with Mexico’s agriculture authority, SENASICA, to implement the collaborative NWS Action Plan and guide trapping, surveillance and movement protocols to help stop the northward spread of NWS.

Trade Mission While In Mexico

While Rollins was in Mexico last week, she also led the largest U.S. Department of Agriculture agribusiness trade mission in history. During the mission, 41 U.S. businesses, 33 cooperators and agriculture advocacy groups, six state departments of agriculture, and 150 participants conducted more than 500 business-to-business meetings during the three days.

According to a USDA press release , “This was a critical opportunity for American business to further trade ties and for USDA to continue its aggressive response to NWS in Mexico and continue to hold Mexico accountable for its commitments to the 1944 Water Treaty.”

Honored to lead the largest @USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission in US history to Mexico City!

Over three days, our delegation of 41 US businesses, 33 cooperators, 6 state departments of agriculture, and 150 participants held more than 500 business-to-business meetings - deepening a… pic.twitter.com/39rGi9Snhj
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) November 13, 2025

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Cattle Market Roller Coaster Continues: Mexican Ag Minister Announces U.S. Visit to Discuss Border Opening

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:07:07 GMT

It’s been a roller coaster week for the cattle markets. Feeder cattle were limit down Friday morning after the announcement Mexico’s agriculture minister will travel to Washington next week with the aim of reaching an agreement on the reopening of the border to Mexican cattle.

The announcement was made Thursday by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum according to Reuters .

The U.S.-Mexican border has been closed since May due to the northward spread of New World screwworm .

Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegué is scheduled to meet with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to discuss plans for the border.

“We hope he can return with an agreement on the border opening,” Sheinbaum said in her regular press conference.

Rollins has criticized Mexico’s response to the outbreak. In September, Mexico confirmed its first cases of NWS infections in animals in the state of Nuevo Leon , which borders the U.S.

She shared a update on X Oct. 19.

🚨 𝐍𝐖𝐒 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 🚨

FIRST and most important — No new cases have been detected in the last 7 days in Mexican states bordering the United States.@USDA and our partners continue to lead an aggressive response to New World Screwworm (NWS). This is a national security threat…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) October 20, 2025

“First and most important — no new cases have been detected in the last seven days in Mexican states bordering the United States,” Rollins says. “USDA and our partners continue to lead an aggressive response to New World screwworm (NWS). This is a national security threat, and it has the full attention of the Trump administration.”

She also announced the release of the USDA NWS Response Playbook .

“This playbook reflects our current approach and response if we ever have a confirmed positive NWS in the USA,” Rollins explains. “We want our state and industry partners to continue to provide feedback on ways to make the playbook even stronger.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is urging U.S. cattle ranchers to lower beef prices while several agencies announced an effort to rebuild the country’s decimated cattle herd. The White House also said on Thursday that Trump is quadrupling the country’s low-tariff imports of Argentine beef in his attempt to lower grocery store beef prices, angering U.S. ranchers.

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Preparing for the Battle Continues: USDA Shares Screwworm Update and Releases NWS Playbook

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:57:25 GMT

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared a New World screwworm update on X Sunday night.

“First and most important — No new cases have been detected in the last seven days in Mexican states bordering the United States,” Rollins says. “USDA and our partners continue to lead an aggressive response to New World screwworm (NWS). This is a national security threat, and it has the full attention of the Trump administration.”

Updates Rollins shared included:

Dispersing 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico produced at the COPEG facility with more than 40 dispersal flights throughout Southern Mexico per week.
“USDA closely monitors the locations of detections in Mexico and ensures shipments of sterile insects and release chambers are routed to the locations of the latest detections for dispersal,” she says.
Inspecting wild or feral animals for NWS infestation as part of wildlife management activities in Texas, with more than 1,670 animals inspected to date.
Working with Mexico on trapping and surveillance.
“USDA staff have confirmed 7,885 total confirmed NWS cases in southern Mexico, an increase of 838 cases since Oct. 2,” Rollins reports. “There have been zero detections in border states since Oct. 5.”
Construction update: The NWS Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility at Moore Air Base will open in early 2026. This facility will allow USDA to disperse 300 million sterile flies weekly at the border and in northern Mexico.

NWS Playbook Released

Rollins says on Friday USDA hosted a call with more than 200 state partners and stakeholders to release the new USDA NWS Response Playbook .

“This playbook reflects our current approach and response if we ever have a confirmed positive NWS in the USA,” Rollins explains. “We want our state and industry partners to continue to provide feedback on ways to make the playbook even stronger.”

Industry stakeholders can provide feedback and suggestions regarding the playbook to FAD.PReP.Comments@usda.gov.

🚨 𝐍𝐖𝐒 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 🚨

FIRST and most important — No new cases have been detected in the last 7 days in Mexican states bordering the United States.@USDA and our partners continue to lead an aggressive response to New World Screwworm (NWS). This is a national security threat…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) October 20, 2025

Playbook Highlights

According the playbook, the phases of the response include:

Preparedness — planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating and taking corrective action to ensure effective coordination during an outbreak response.
Confirmation, or NWS establishment in the U.S. due to NWS myiasis in warm-blooded animals or detection of NWS fly.
Containment, or preventing the spread of NWS in early stages of infestation through measures such as early detection, quarantines and movement requirements, sterile insect technique (SIT) and surveillance to reduce spread in domestic animals and wildlife.
Mitigation, or minimizing the outbreak impact, by reducing the geographic extent of the affected area to reduce strain on resources, achieved largely through quarantines and movement requirements, SIT and surveillance, and constant evaluation of impacted areas.
Control, or demonstrating infestation is being mitigated based on epidemiology and surveillance.
Eradication, or demonstrating freedom from NWS in previously affected areas.

If NWS is found in the U.S., USDA APHIS Veterinary Services will provide guidance, support, resources and coordination during an outbreak. The approaches and tools included in the playbook reflect USDA APHIS guidance and aim to provide a practical framework to rapidly focus on priority activities. Tools and resources will be updated regularly as new guidance on NWS is released.

Managing an NWS Response: Key Activities

(USDA APHIS)

The playbook includes eight key response activities:

Effectively manage a coordinated response and communications with stakeholders and the public
Reduce spread to non-infested animals and prevent NWS from establishing in new areas
Manage NWS on infested premises
Implement NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife
Implement NWS fly surveillance and management strategies
Maintain continuity of business (COB)
Ensure information flow and management
Identify and maintain resource requirements

To learn more about the playbook, visit the New World Screwworm Emergency Response website.

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What Finally Stops the Cattle Rally? Grains Fall on China Trade Tensions

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 14:53:55 GMT

Cattle opened higher but turned lower with the rest of the livestock and grain complex early Friday morning.

Cattle Correct but Project to $388 on Feeders, $264 on Fats

Cattle futures opened higher Friday and feeders made all time highs once again before seeing some profit taking.

Scott Varilek, Kooima Kooima Varilek says the feeder futures have put on $25 this week and were due for a correction but still project to $388 on the November contract, while live cattle could move to $264 on the December charts.

He says feeders have continued to be the leaders on the tight numbers and feedlots scrambling to buy inventory at any price.

The border being closed to Mexican feeder cattle has tightened supplies even further.

What Stops the Cattle Rally?

Varilek says the cattle market will continue to see this type of frothy action until the Mexican border is reopened and trade resumes, to which the timing is still unknown.

Brazilian beef imports have also seen an additional 50% tariff and that has also curtailed supply and so when that levy is lifted he says it could also have a chilling effect on the market.

Fed Cash Market Quiet

Meanwhile, the fed cash market has been very quiet as packers have been drawing inventory from cattle they had bought under delayed delivery arrangements a few weeks ago.

Varilek says there was some light business at $230 in the North early in the week and a few head were reported at $358 dressed on USDA’s mandatory report on Thursday, but otherwise it has been a thin market.

As a result, he says producers are holding cattle and feeding them to heavier weights.

Hogs See Further Fund Liquidation

Lean hog futures closed below major support on Thursday and are seeing some follow through selling on Friday.

Varilek says that market has seen a steep correction since the bullish news in the Hogs and Pigs Report and he predicts more downside pressure as fund continue to shed more of their record long position.

They are also hearing from customers that hog barns are full indicating disease problems have lessened and supplies are growing.

Grains Fall on Harvest Pressure, China Trade News

Grain futures are all lower on Friday as corn and soybeans see more harvest pressure ahead of a fairly open weekend for weather.

The other big news item is China overnight put levies on U.S. ships coming into their ports and has also reportedly purchased six cargoes of South American soybeans for Nov-Dec delivery. This follows China announcing they were putting additional restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals and sanctions on a U.S. chip maker.

This is weighing on especially the soybean market, despite President Trump reiterating on Thursday that he was going to talk to President Xi about purchasing U.S. soybeans.

Varilek says the market is starting to want some proof of that business before moving higher.

NWS Threat Update: New Case Detected 170 Miles From Border

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 22:18:29 GMT

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins shared on X that a new case of New World screwworm has been detected 170 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Today, I was alerted by the Mexican government that a new case of New World screwworm was detected in Mexico, 170 miles from our southern border,” she says. “At this time, we believe this to be an isolated incident and it is ~100 miles further south of the last detected case. We will have boots on the ground within hours to independently verify the situation.”

🚨 𝐍𝐖𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 🚨

Today, I was alerted by the Mexican government that a new case of New World Screwworm (NWS) was detected in Mexico, 170 miles from our southern border. At this time, we believe this to be an isolated incident and it is ~100 miles further…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) October 6, 2025

She reported USDA staff will begin trapping, surveilling and dropping sterile flies in this area in Mexico.

“Despite the Democrat Shutdown, the intrepid men and women at the USDA continue to work around the clock to protect our great nation. We will continue to update the public as the situation develop,” she says.

According to Reuters , the infested calf had originated from the south of Mexico and was intercepted in the town of Montemorelos, south of Monterrey. None of the other 84 animals in the same shipment were found to be infested, the ministry said in a statement.

Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) confirmed a case of NWS in Sabinas Hidalgo , located in the state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border on Sept. 21. The new case according to SENASICA, is not related to the case that was detected in Sabinas Hidalgo.

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