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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration to “better equip the Texas New World Screwworm (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,” Abbott said.
“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,” he added.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday issued a statewide disaster declaration to equip better the Texas New World screwworm (NWS) Response Team to prevent the potential spread of the screwworm fly into Texas and to protect livestock and wildlife.
Details: https://t.co/O3aiH42Ga8 pic.twitter.com/3oqSUoUNDy
— DTN/Progressive Farmer (@dtnpf) January 30, 2026
Texas Scorecard has more:
Originating in South America, the New World screwworm is a parasite that eats the tissue of warm-blooded mammals. Although there have not yet been any confirmed cases of the parasite in the U.S., multiple cases have been confirmed near Texas’ border with Mexico.
State agricultural officials have warned that the parasite could not only devastate the Texas’ wildlife population but also its $15 billion cattle industry.
Abbott took “preemptive action against the threat” by:
- Directing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to establish a joint Texas New World Screwworm 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
“Recently, CDC was on the ground in Texas, working closely with federal and state partners to strengthen readiness for the potential public health threat posed by New World screwworm. This engagement allowed CDC to highlight response planning, review preparedness efforts, and strengthen coordination and communication across jurisdictions,” the CDC wrote.
“To further support preparedness, CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to inform clinicians, public health authorities, and the public about recent New World screwworm animal cases in Tamaulipas, Mexico, which borders Texas. CDC continues to support state, tribal, and local health officials by providing technical expertise on diagnosis, clinical management, and reporting potential cases of New World screwworm,” it continued.
Recently, CDC was on the ground in Texas, working closely with federal and state partners to strengthen readiness for the potential public health threat posed by New World screwworm. This engagement allowed CDC to highlight response planning, review preparedness efforts, and… pic.twitter.com/Q687EYboUt
— CDC (@CDCgov) January 29, 2026
Fox News shared further:
The Department of Agriculture said in August that the New World screwworm is a “devastating pest.”
“When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds and, in rare cases, people. It is not only a threat to our ranching community, but it is a threat to our food supply and our national security,” the department said at the time.