Full Breakdown
New World Screwworm Returns to Texas: 2026 Outbreak Overview
6/26/2026, 1:47:34 AM
Core Outbreak Details
In early June 2026 a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas tested positive for *Cochliomyia hominivorax*. By June 23 USDA confirmed 20 cases—19 in Texas (multiple counties) and one in New Mexico—affecting livestock and a dog. No human cases have been reported.
Historical Context
The U.S. eradicated screwworm in the mid-1960s with the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) developed by Edward F. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland, releasing up to 150 million sterile flies weekly and saving about $900 million annually.
Key Stakeholders
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins secured $1.3 billion; Governor Greg Abbott activated the state emergency center; TAHC director Lewis R. Dinges issued quarantine orders; Commissioner Sid Miller pushed for an insecticide bait system; rancher Wayne Cockrell urged massive sterile-fly releases.
Timeline
2023-24: screwworm moved north through Central America. May 2025: USDA closed Mexican livestock ports. June 3 2026: first U.S. case in Zavala County. June 22-24: additional detections in Terrell, Medina, Edwards and Crockett counties; quarantine zones established. Late June: total 20 cases; sterile-fly output ~100 million/week.
Data & Statistics
20 confirmed cases (19 TX, 1 NM). Sterile-fly output ~100 million/week—about 20 % of the 500 million/week needed for eradication. USDA allocated $1.3 billion emergency funding and $105 million for research; projected Texas losses could reach $1.8 billion annually.
Economic & Agricultural Impact
The pest threatens Texas, the nation’s largest cattle producer, with potential annual losses of $732 million and total state impact of $1.8 billion, echoing the $330 million loss in the 1976 outbreak.
Official Government Responses
USDA’s One-Health plan deploys sterile-fly flights, expands surveillance, and enforces TAHC movement restrictions. Rollins pledged new facilities in Metapa, Mexico and Edinburg, Texas to raise capacity.
Criticism & Opposition
Commissioner Sid Miller says SIT alone is insufficient and backs the SWASS bait system; Democrats question whether 2025 USDA staff cuts and DOGE funding reductions caused capacity gaps; Rep. Vicente Gonzalez urges pop-up sterile-fly sites to meet a 700 million-fly weekly target.
On-the-Ground Observations
Ranchers report daily wound checks; Wayne Cockrell noted the screwworm’s distinctive orange eyes and green back. Hoppy Haden emphasized rapid tracking to contain spread.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Case totals differ (15, 19, 20) across outlets; required sterile-fly numbers range from 500 million to 700 million per week; the entry pathway remains disputed among wildlife, illegal cattle movement, and border-policy explanations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I walked in the Oval Office and I said sir, there is a pretty serious threat to our livestock that’s headed our way, and when we need 500 million sterile flies per week, we’re only producing 100 million out of Panama, because everyone took their eye off the ball years ago,” — Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
- “We could have wiped it out,” — Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner
- “The screwworm fly is a little bit larger than a standard housefly, has red eyes and a green back,” — Jeremy Hull, Travis County Parks
- “To win this war, it’s all about the number of sterile flies,” — Wayne Cockrell, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
Outlook & Next Steps
USDA targets 300 million sterile flies weekly by late 2027, testing the male-only Novofly strain and SWASS as complements; continued surveillance and quarantine will shape containment.
