Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) on Monday expanded Texas’s emergency response to the New World screwworm, as the parasitic fly’s passage across the U.S. border threatens the state’s multibillion-dollar livestock industry. Abbott directed Texas’s emergency operations center to activate to Level II, the “escalated response” level, to support the state’s screwworm response. Texas and federal partners at the Agriculture Department have worked for months to stave off the parasite’s arrival, as it worked its way up from South America and the Caribbean into Mexico. But on Wednesday, the first screwworm case in the United States was reported in La Pryor, Texas, prompting further action from officials.
“I have activated the full use of all state resources to respond to the New World Screwworm threat,” Abbott said in a statement.
“The protection of our ranchers, livestock producers, deer breeders, and the Texas economy from this pest is a top priority,” he continued. “We have eradicated this pest before, and we will do it again in close cooperation with our federal partners. Texans should stay alert, check animals daily for wounds, and report any suspected cases immediately.”
The USDA said Monday there are four screwworm cases in the U.S., all based in Texas, including a calf in La Salle County and a dog in Andrews County. The agency also launched a Rapid Response account, and President Donald Trump named John Bellinger, a cattleman in Texas, to be senior adviser to the USDA’s screwworm program.
