Texas Secures Federal Funding to Deploy 15 Additional Screwworm Inspectors

Texas has secured immediate federal funding to bolster its response to the New World screwworm outbreak, Governor Greg Abbott announced Wednesday. The USDA cooperative agreement will fund 15 new positions at the Texas Animal Health Commission, including 10 field inspectors, emergency management specialists, and epidemiologists to expand containment efforts across affected counties.

The staffing surge comes as confirmed cases of the parasitic pest reached 12 nationwide, with 11 cases concentrated in Texas. The outbreak has now placed 13 Texas counties under quarantine, stretching from the initial detection zone in South Texas to newly affected areas including Sutton and Tom Green counties.

"Texas will take every action necessary to safeguard our livestock producers and agricultural economy from the New World screwworm," Abbott said in a statement. The $15 billion Texas cattle industry faces significant disruption from the pest, which infests open wounds of warm-blooded animals and can be fatal if left untreated.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, who recently broke ground on a $750 million sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, said the agency has moved "at lightning speed" to address the threat. The sterile insect technique remains the primary biological control method, disrupting the pest's reproductive cycle by releasing irradiated male flies that mate with wild females but produce no offspring.

The new federal funding complements state-level emergency measures already in place. Abbott previously issued a statewide disaster declaration, activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level II, and mobilized a joint response team combining state agencies, veterinarians, and wildlife experts. All southern ports of entry remain closed to livestock trade under federal order.

Beyond government response, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has launched free online training to certify independent screwworm inspectors, allowing more livestock to move safely through commerce. The program, developed in partnership with USDA APHIS, the Texas Animal Health Commission, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, represents a first-of-its-kind preparedness initiative.

Livestock producers, pet owners, and hunters are urged to inspect animals regularly for open wounds and report suspected cases immediately. The TAHC operates a 24-hour veterinarian hotline at 1-800-550-8242 for livestock and pet concerns, while suspected wildlife cases should be directed to Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists at 512-389-4505.

The federal funding announcement marks the latest escalation in a multi-pronged defense against a pest that was eradicated from the United States more than 60 years ago. With sterile fly releases expanding and inspection capacity increasing, Texas is mounting its most aggressive agricultural biosecurity response in decades.