New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) on Friday, Jun 06, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)
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Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday activated the Texas State Emergency Operations Center to support the state’s response to a reemergence of the New World screwworm, a destructive livestock pest the state previously eradicated decades ago.
New World screwworm
The Texas Division of Emergency Management raised the operations center to Level II, signaling an escalated response. The activation mobilizes resources across multiple state agencies to protect the Texas economy, livestock producers, ranchers, and deer breeders from the parasitic insect.
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The return of the flesh-eating screwworm fly in Texas has ranchers and government agencies scrambling to contain what could threaten a $113 billion cattle industry in the U.S.
What they’re saying:
“The protection of our ranchers, livestock producers, deer breeders, and the Texas economy from this pest is a top priority,” Abbott said in a statement. “We have eradicated this pest before, and we will do it again in close cooperation with our federal partners.”
The New World screwworm is the larval stage of a fly that infests open wounds on warm-blooded animals, feeding on living tissue. If left untreated, infestations can be fatal to livestock and wildlife.
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Representatives from several member agencies of the Texas Emergency Management Council have been deployed to the operations center. The coalition includes the Texas Animal Health Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.
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What you can do:
State officials are urging residents to inspect animals daily for open wounds. Abbott called on Texans to stay alert and report any suspected cases immediately.
Suspected livestock cases should be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission at 1-800-550-8242, while suspected wildlife cases should be directed to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at 512-389-4505.
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