The state of Texas is grappling with a serious agricultural crisis as the New World screwworm infestation continues to spread. Governor Greg Abbott has taken decisive action by expanding the state disaster declaration, aiming to mobilize all available resources to combat this invasive pest. The screwworm outbreak poses a significant threat to Texas’ cattle industry and could have far-reaching economic consequences.

The first confirmed case of the screwworm in Texas was detected in a 3-week-old calf in La Pryor, Zavala County, on June 3, 2026. This parasitic fly, known for infesting and feeding on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, has the potential to cause severe damage to livestock and wildlife. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established a 20-kilometer quarantine zone around the infested area, preventing the movement of animals without inspection.

The State’s Response to the Screwworm Outbreak

Governor Abbott‘s expanded disaster declaration authorizes the use of all state government resources to respond to this crisis. The order reassigns resources from across the state and makes available all state personnel, including those from university systems, to expedite the shipment of sterile flies into Texas and the construction of a sterile fly facility in South Texas. These sterile flies are intended to break the reproduction cycle of the parasitic screwworm.

The state is prioritizing resources for Zavala County, where the first case was confirmed, and nearby Uvalde County. The USDA is covering the cost of building facilities to raise and distribute sterile flies, ensuring that state agencies have the necessary support to meet the governor’s order. The federal agency has also activated personnel on the ground and is working with local partners to contain the outbreak.

The Economic Impact and Potential Consequences

The screwworm outbreak threatens to do $1.8 billion in damage to Texas’ economy, according to a USDA estimate. This potential fly pandemic could also increase already record-high beef prices nationwide, given the state’s importance to the cattle industry. The infestation can cause significant damage to the flesh of an infested animal, leading to illness and death. Even if the animal survives, there is usually extensive damage to the animal’s hide and health.

Cattle are particularly susceptible to screwworm due to their inability to protect an open wound. Their large frame can allow eggs to develop in multiple locations from a single cut. The infestation not only affects livestock but also poses a threat to wildlife, which could have a detrimental impact on the hunting industry in Texas.

Challenges and Criticisms

Some South Texas officials have expressed frustration over what they perceive as a lack of communication from the USDA. Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens has criticized the agency for not providing sufficient information about the exact locations of screwworm cases in Mexico, which are within 100 miles of the Texas border. This lack of communication has left local officials unable to provide answers to their communities, leading to increased anger and concern.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has attributed the proliferation of screwworm to President Joe Biden’s ‘open border’ policies, which she claims enabled the illicit movement of cattle throughout Mexico. However, Owens has countered this by pointing out that the ports of entry have been closed to cattle imports from Mexico since November 2026. He argues that blaming individuals or other parties is not productive and that a more collaborative approach is needed.

Nowell Borders, an Edinburg rancher with ranches in Mexico, has offered his 100,000-square-foot facility in South Texas as a pop-up production facility for sterile flies. He believes that dispersing sterile screwworm flies is the most efficient way to eradicate the pest. The USDA is building a facility in Edinburg that will produce 300 million sterile flies per week, but this facility is not expected to begin operating until fall 2027. In the meantime, Borders hopes that the USDA and state partners will start dispersing sterile flies as far north as San Antonio as soon as possible.

The USDA has already dispersed more than 130 million sterile flies in Texas since January. Federal officials are also working with Mexican partners to launch a facility in Metapa, Mexico, which is expected to open later this month. Currently, the only active sterile fly production facility is in Panama, and sterile flies from that facility have been shipped to dispersal facilities in Mexico and Edinburg to help spread sterile flies to needed areas.