I am continuing to address the confirmed cases of the New World Screwworm (NWS) across Texas. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the State of Texas have taken immediate action to eradicate this threat to livestock and the American food supply.
As part of these eradication efforts, my office is coordinating with the USDA and local ranchers to ensure that sterile flies are being deployed across affected areas; a proven method for eliminating NWS populations at the source. My office and I will remain in close contact with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and the USDAas we work together to eradicate this parasite.
Governor Greg Abbott has launched a free, online educational course for Texans to learn more about NWS.
Visit the Texas Agrilife website (agrilifeextension.tamu.edu) and search for New World Screwworm Preparedness and Response Education.
If you see signs of maggot infestation in live or recently dead wild animals, please call 866-4USDA-WS (866-4873297) to report it to your local USDA Wildlife Services office. If you are a rancher, please continue to monitor your livestock and report any unusual findings to USDA. For official updates, please visit screwworm.gov.