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USDA confirms New World screwworm within 70 miles of the U.S. border, Secretary says “we are prepared”
The USDA says New World screwworm has been confirmed within 70 miles of the U.S. border.
In a release late Sunday evening, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says Mexico’s government has detected the pest in the state of Nuevo Leon. This is now the northernmost detection of NWS during this outbreak.
In a post on X, the Secretary stated that the pest was discovered in an 8-month-old calf that was part of a 100-head herd that had been transported from the south. USDA says the potential link to animal movement underscores the “non-negotiable need for Mexico to fully implement and comply” with the U.S.-Mexico Joint Action Plan for NWS in Mexico.
Rollins says protecting the U.S. cattle herd from New World screwworm remains a top priority of the Trump administration. She says the administration is executing its five-pronged plan and will take decisive action to protect the U.S. borders.
NWS has not been detected in the United States, and previously, the most recent northernmost detection was in Veracruz, Mexico, approximately 370 miles from the U.S. border.
U.S. ports remain closed to imports of live cattle, bison, and horses from Mexico. The Department continues to urge residents along the southern border to check pets and livestock for signs of NWS. According to the USDA, owners should look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia, or the navel of newborn animals. If producers suspect an animal is infected with screwworm, they should contact their state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian immediately.
The USDA also says it will soon announce a significant plan to help rebuild the American cattle supply, incentivizing producers and driving a “full-scale revitalization” of the American beef industry.
This is a developing story, and Brownfield will continue to update as information is made available.
