There are two more confirmed cases of New World screwworm in Texas, the United States Department of Agriculture announced on Monday.
NWS was found in a dog and a calf in the Lone Star State, according to the department. The federal government confirmed the initial domestic case last week.
The fly can have a profound impact on animals, including cows, which push beef prices even higher. However, the USDA emphasized that there is no impact to food, and if an animal did face complications from NWS, it would be spotted before it would ever be sold.
“Over the past week, USDA has identified and expeditiously confronted four confirmed detections of New World screwworm,” Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said in a statement.
John Bellinger, a food safety expert who sits on the Texas A&M Board of Regents, will be President Donald Trump's senior advisor on the issue, the USDA said on Monday.
🚨ANNOUNCEMENT: President Trump has appointed Texas cattleman and food safety leader John Bellinger as Senior Advisor for New World Screwworm Preparedness @USDA.
— New World Screwworm Rapid Response (@Screwworm_RR) June 8, 2026
Moore Air Base dispersal operations have 2 planes in the air delivering millions of sterile flies over the Texas New World Screwworm response zone. This is in addition to existing sterile fly dispersal activities in South Texas and Northern Mexico.
— New World Screwworm Rapid Response (@Screwworm_RR) June 8, 2026
“While we address these instances that require immediate attention, and continue to sample suspected cases, we are simultaneously working to eradicate the pest entirely,” Hoskins added. “We need the partnership of animal owners across the region – please stay vigilant, check your animals closely, and report anything that looks suspicious. Together, we can protect our livestock, our communities, and the health of animals nationwide.”
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The USDA’s New World Screwworm Rapid Response page posted on Monday morning that there are two planes from Moore Air Base sending sterile flies to the “response zone” in Texas to counteract the dangerous bug.
“This is in addition to existing sterile fly dispersal activities in South Texas and Northern Mexico,” the post stated.
The USDA is asking people to see if their animals have growing or “draining” injuries, “maggots or egg masses,” as well as lesions that seem concerning, according to a press release.
Texas is also taking state-level measures to fight NWS quickly, as Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R-TX) office announced Monday that the State Emergency Operations Center is now in an “escalated response” mode.
“I have activated the full use of all state resources to respond to the New World Screwworm threat,” Abbott stated.
Governor Abbott today directed @TDEM to activate the State Emergency Operations Center to Level II (Escalated Response) to support the state’s New World Screwworm response.
— Governor Abbott Press Office (@GovAbbottPress) June 8, 2026
The Governor has activated the full use of all state resources to respond to this threat. pic.twitter.com/Mne5I4t9Oj
“The protection of our ranchers, livestock producers, deer breeders, and the Texas economy from this pest is a top priority. 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,” he continued.
The state government is urging farmers and ranchers to report possible NWS in their livestock to the Texas Animal Health Commission.
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