Texas

Iowa Implements 5-Mile Testing Radius to Contain Swine Pseudorabies

Fri, 01 May 2026 22:08:02 GMT

Iowa agriculture officials are working quickly to “stamp out” a confirmed case of pseudorabies (PRV) in a small commercial swine herd – the first detection of the virus in a U.S. commercial site since it was officially eradicated in 2004.

The detection, confirmed on April 30, involved five boars in a small commercial herd with less than 100 animals. While the virus has been absent from commercial herds for two decades, it remains endemic in feral swine populations, which is the suspected source of this “spillover” event.

Aggressive Containment Strategy

Following established USDA pseudorabies program standards , the affected site is being depopulated and all animals will be disposed of on-site to prevent any spread.

“The standards also require that we conduct surveillance around the site,” says Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “A five-mile radius circle has been drawn around the positive site. Swine facilities within that radius will need to test for pseudorabies within the next 15 days.”

A secondary, two-mile radius circle has also been established. Farms within this inner circle must undergo a second round of testing 30 days after the original site is fully cleaned and disinfected. Naig confirmed that every producer within these zones was contacted by late Thursday.

Tracing the Source

The investigation points to a direct trace-back: the five positive boars were part of a shipment received several months ago from an outdoor “transitional” herd in Texas.

“We coordinated with the state of Texas, who began testing the herd of origin immediately on Monday,” Naig says.

The virus was caught during routine screening at the Iowa operation. While the five boars tested positive, the remaining pigs on the Iowa site tested negative. Naig notes that because there was no spread within the facility, it provides a “strong indication” that there was no spread outside the facility either.

The Science: Why PRV is a Challenge

Pseudorabies is a herpes virus , which presents unique challenges for eradication. Iowa State Veterinarian Dr. Jeff Kaisand explains that unlike many viruses that are cleared by the immune system, herpes viruses can remain dormant in the body.

“The virus can hang out and hide in the cranial nerves of the brain and the tonsil,” Kaisand says. “Pigs may recover and stop shedding, but the virus remains. Under stress, it can resurface.”

While the virus spreads primarily through nose-to-nose contact, it can also move via aerosols or contaminated equipment. Despite the risk, Kaisand emphasizes that vaccination is not currently an option for the industry.

“We are not expecting area spread, and vaccine raises trade issues,” Kaisand says. “We don’t want to vaccinate our populations and confuse natural infection with vaccine.”

Trade and Safety Outlook

Because pseudorabies is a reportable disease, the USDA has notified international trading partners, but the impact is expected to be minimal.

“There is always a potential for trade disruption, which is why we moved so swiftly,” Naig says. “We anticipate minimal, if any, short-term trade disruptions.”

Naig also stressed that the detection is not a food safety concern. Pseudorabies does not pose a risk to human health, and the U.S. pork supply remains safe.

Remain Vigilant

What producers can do is what they always should do – practice good biosecurity, Naig says.

“This is an isolated, specific incident here that has a direct trace back to this Texas farm,” Naig says. “Biosecurity is important every single day for animal health. It is important for livestock producers of all species.”

Kaisand adds that biosecurity is “protection from the unknowns, not the knowns.”

How Will U.S. Producers Maintain Business when New World Screwworm Invades?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:59:33 GMT

With animal disease, prevention and preparation beat panic. Since New World screwworm (NWS) was last eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, the tools and infrastructure to deal with foreign animal disease have dramatically changed.

Dr. Justin Smith, Kansas animal health commissioner and state veterinarian, during the recent Kansas State University Cattlemen’s Day gave an update on how Kansas and other states are preparing for NWS. The approach is designed to keep producers in business, keep cattle and products moving, and manage NWS in a way that protects both herds and markets.

He says the U.S. animal health officials along with USDA are planning a multistate, coordinated response that aims for consistency across state borders.

Smith summarizes the industry’s preparation to tackle NWS is like a three-legged stool. U.S. producers will be able to maintain business when NWS invades through surveillance, treatment and movement controls.

Surveillance: Eyes on Animals

The first leg of the stool is surveillance. He stresses early detection depends heavily on producers and veterinarians watching animals closely and reporting anything suspicious.

Smith emphasizes they would rather over investigate than miss a case.

“We want to make sure that we err on the side of having to say no on many occasions, versus saying, ‘Yep, this is what we got.’ Eyes on animals is going to be key.”

He was clear this should feel like partnership, not policing.

“They don’t want it to look like Big Brother coming over your shoulder,” he explains. “I hope we want to get this thing quickly.”

Smith explains that once a positive premises is identified, surveillance becomes structured around zones. The infested premises sit at the center, surrounded by an infested zone, an adjacent surveillance zone and a broader fly surveillance area.

The infested zone is 12.4 miles in radius from the infested premises. In this zone, there will be frequent on‑animal checks for wounds and larvae, plus enhanced monitoring in surrounding zones using fly traps and animal observation. The adjacent surveillance zone is another 12.4 miles radius and then there will be a fly surveillance area — an 124-mile radius from the infested premises.

Smith says movements out of the infested zone will require visual inspection for wounds and systemic treatment, including a treatment window of three to 14 days before movement plus a documented certificate of veterinary inspection.

He says the current Kansas response plan aligns with USDA’s playbook and neighboring states’ plans while taking into account specific needs of the Kansas livestock industry.

He stresses the playbook will continue to evolve, and state-by-state implementation may vary, but he says the “zone approach” will be utilized by all states.

Treatment: Limited Tools, Use Strategically

The second leg is treatment. Smith says that after decades without large domestic outbreaks, labeled options are limited.

From the fact that we haven’t had this new tool in our nation, in a large-spread outbreak since the 60s, we don’t have a lot of treatments out there that are labeled for this organism.”

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four products for large animals:

He cautions, “The goal is not to go out there and just habitually treat your animals just in case. We want to make sure that we’re utilizing these [products] responsibly. There’s not an unlimited supply out there, and so we want to make sure that it’s available for us when we do need it.”

On a positive premises, Smith says treatment will be mandatory and systematic.

“There will be a quarantine placed on that premises. We’re also going to require a certain level of treatment on that premises,” he explains.

There will be protocols for daily mortality disposal, so carcasses don’t become breeding sites.

“The last thing you want to do is bury an animal that has larvae and has the ability to advance.”

He says treatment is also tied to movement out of infested zones, with most animals needing prophylactic treatment before leaving.

Movement Controls: Targeted, Not Statewide Shutdowns

The third leg is movement control, designed to be precise rather than broad-brush. Smith stresses NWS is an infestation, not an infection , emphasizing it is not a systemic disease problem, but an infestation that still demands strong controls.

He says there will be movement restrictions if a premises falls into an infested region. To move animals out of that zone, there will be steps to follow but movement will not be completely shut down.

He explains some exceptions exist:

Animals moving directly to slaughter can go without pre‑movement treatment, but those animals have to be hanging on the rail within 72 hours.
Baby dairy calves must be treated but can move right away if treatment and navel care are documented.

He says Kansas is also coordinating with neighboring states to create “synergistic” rules, especially for cattle from higher‑risk states such as Texas. Cattle entering Kansas from recognized infested zones will face inspection, treatment requirements and at least 14 days in drylot containment on arrival.

NWS is Not a Food Safety Issue

Smith reassures producers and consumers that NWS is not a meat safety threat.

“This is not a food safety issue,” he says. “If an animal is presented to slaughter, it has a screwworm wound then it has the ability to be trimmed. That carcass will not be condemned. There are no restrictions on any inspected product for food safety reasons.”

Smith summarizes underpinning all three legs is a commitment to dynamic planning and continuity. He notes a revised USDA playbook is forthcoming and that “plans will be a little bit dynamic” as they learn more.

The core message for producers is clear: watch your cattle, report early, use treatments wisely and expect targeted movement controls — not blanket shutdowns — if NWS crosses the border.

USDA Announces Sterile Fly Production Facility Construction Contract

USDA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced March 9 a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas.

This facility is a key component in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy to fight NWS. USACE is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering and construction of the facility.

“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government-wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” Rollins says. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first-of-its-kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”

A sterile fly production facility is a specialized biosecure complex where NWS flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation and then released into targeted areas.

USDA currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week at the COPEG facility in Panama and disperses them within and just north of affected areas in Mexico. In addition to the COPEG facility in Panama, USDA invested $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa , which will double NWS production capacity once complete.

With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates sterile fly production will begin at this facility in summer 2026. The new facility at Moore Air Base will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture.

USDA and USACE will break ground on this new facility later this spring, after initial planning and development meetings with the new contractor. By November 2027, the production facility at Moore Air Base is expected to reach its initial goal of producing 100 million sterile flies per week. After that, construction will continue at the facility to increase production with the long-term goal of producing 300 million sterile flies per week.

U.S. Begins Dropping Sterile Flies in Texas to Stop Screwworm

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 13:56:10 GMT

New World screwworm (NWS) is inching closer to the U.S. Last week Mexico reported eight new cases in the U.S. neighboring-state of Tamaulipas. A key to slowing down the threat is being proactive.

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) import requirements and protocols are one line of defense for NWS and other foreign animal diseases that threaten U.S. livestock. According to USDA , earlier this week, a horse from Argentina was presented for routine importation at an equine import quarantine facility in Florida.

“Upon examination, APHIS identified an open wound with larvae on the animal and promptly collected and shipped samples to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Iowa. The horse was immediately treated with medication to kill any larvae in accordance with standard, long-standing import protocols.” the release explains . “This morning, NVSL confirmed that the larvae were NWS larvae. Accordingly, the animal will remain in quarantine until it has been reexamined and determined to be free of NWS.”

This is an example of import protocols working as designed. While this situation does not appear to be associated with the NWS outbreak in Mexico, the release says it underscores the need for vigilance in all of USDA’s coordinated efforts to fight NWS.

New Action To Prevent Northward Spread

Friday, Jan. 30, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a shift in its 100-million-per-week sterile fly dispersal efforts .

“USDA will reallocate aircraft and sterile insects to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border,” according to the release. “The new dispersal area, or polygon, will include operations about 50 miles into Texas, along the U.S. border with the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile insects are critical components of an effective strategy to fight NWS. Other tools including import protocols and surveillance continue to support these robust efforts to keep NWS out of the U.S.”

Dudley Hoskins, USDA undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs, says, “At Secretary Rollins’ direction, our highest priority is protecting the United States from screwworm. The northernmost active case of NWS in Mexico is still about 200 miles away from the border, but we’ve seen cases continue to spread in Tamaulipas and further south in Mexico, so we are proactively shifting our polygon as we make every effort to prevent NWS from reaching our border.”

This follows Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s actions on Thursday issuing a statewide disaster declaration to better equip the Texas NWS Response Team to prevent the potential spread of the NWS fly into Texas and to better protect livestock and wildlife.

“Although the New World screwworm fly is not yet present in Texas or the U.S., its northward spread from Mexico toward the U.S. southern border poses a serious threat to Texas’ livestock industry and wildlife,” said Governor Abbott. “State law authorizes me to act to prevent a threat of infestation that could cause severe damage to Texas property, and I will not wait for such harm to reach our livestock and wildlife. With this statewide disaster declaration, the Texas NWS Response Team can fully utilize all state government prevention and response resources to prevent the re-emergence of this destructive parasite. Texas is prepared to fully eradicate this pest if need be.”

Sterile Flies are Key to Stopping NWS

Sterile insect technique, when paired with surveillance, movement restrictions and education and outreach, is an effective tool for controlling and eradicating NWS. Female NWS flies only mate once in their lives, so if they mate with a sterile male, they lay unfertilized eggs that don’t hatch.

Releasing sterile flies just outside of affected areas helps ensure flies traveling to new areas will only encounter sterile mates and will not be able to reproduce.

The updated strategy will include: “USDA will release sterile flies north of the current active NWS cases in Mexico in a proactive effort to create a sterile reproduction buffer zone if the fly moves north from Mexico.”

Because it is important to continue ongoing surveillance efforts while releasing sterile insects, it is possible that sterile NWS flies could be caught and/or reported within Texas. To ensure officials can tell the difference between sterile and wild NWS flies, USDA will dye the sterile pupae, and the dye will transfer to the sterile flies when they hatch. The fluorescent dye will glow under UV light and may also be visible to the naked eye. If a sterile fly is captured in a trap, this dye will allow animal health officials to quickly rule the fly out as a threat.

“USDA will continue to deploy its intensive NWS response efforts including implementing import protocols, ongoing surveillance and trapping efforts along the border, investing in NWS innovation, and supporting robust response activities in Mexico and Central America,” the release says.

Surveillance, Monitoring and Reporting Continues

USDA continues to lead intensive surveillance and monitoring systems along the U.S. border. Teams continue to check 121 NWS-specific traps across high-risk areas of border states and leverage thousands of fruit fly/insect traps aligned all along the Southern border. To date, more than 42,000 flies from traps in all locations have been submitted to APHIS NVSL for identification, with no NWS detections to date.

APHIS Wildlife Services is also leading a coordinated effort to inspect wildlife for signs of NWS infestation. To date, they’ve inspected more than 9,300 wild animals across 39 different species and 131 U.S. counties and found no signs of NWS infestations.

Texas Takes Preemptive Action

The Texas release says Governor Abbott actions against the threat posed by NWS include:

Directing the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to establish a joint Texas NWS Response Team.
Partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins to create a new $750 million Domestic Sterile NWS Production Facility in Edinburg, Texas.

“I’m glad to see the urgency from the governor’s office matching the seriousness of this threat,” says Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller. “The Governor’s disaster declaration gives his task force greater authority, resources, and speed needed to confront the growing threat posed by the New World screwworm. This is a serious risk to our livestock industry and one that the Texas Department of Agriculture has been preparing for through our own heightened surveillance, coordination, and response planning.”

Miller adds, “This fight requires every available resource to be thrown at it without delay, and TDA will continue to work alongside our state and federal partners to protect our livestock, pets, wildlife, and Texas communities.”

For more information on NWS and USDA’s efforts, visit Screwworm.gov

New World Screwworm Confirmed in Pig in Mexico

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 18:12:31 GMT

A case of New World screwworm (NWS) was recently confirmed in a 30-month-old pig in the Mexican state of Veracruz. This state currently has 125 active cases of NWS and 1,963 total cases reported. No other information was reported from USDA when the case was listed on the NWS website Jan. 9.

As the number of cases continue to rise and inch closer to the U.S. border, livestock producers need to be on alert. NWS poses a real threat to rural America, says Texas beef producer Donnell Brown.

“Fortunately, we made it to winter without a major screwworm infestation in the United States,” he says in a recent articl e on PorkBusiness.com . “However, as temperatures rise this spring and fly season begins again, I am deeply concerned that we could see an outbreak with devastating consequences for livestock and wildlife.”

Lizeth Olivarez doesn’t know if people will have the stomach to deal with NWS. She’s a sixth-generation rancher who runs cattle in the U.S. and in Mexico at Las bendiciones Ranch in Realitos, Texas, and Rancho El Cuellareno in Guerrero, Mexico. Though she hasn’t experienced it herself, she has grown up hearing story after story about NWS from both her grandfather and father who dealt with NWS when the deadly fly struck in the 1960s.

A Threat to the U.S. Swine Industry, Too

Though only three cases have been reported in swine since July 4, 2025, the potential for infection is there, especially for domestic pigs raised outdoors and wild pigs.

Megan Niederwerder, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), says it’s important to remember this is not just a cattle disease ; it impacts other livestock species and humans as well.

“It’s really important to stay vigilant as we think about increasing awareness and understanding of what the fly looks like,” Niederwerder says.

Pork producers should be aware of the disease and be watchful for suspect clinical signs of myiasis (fly infestation), adds Lisa Becton, DVM, associate director of SHIC.

“Flies lay eggs in live tissue of a wound — even a wound as small as an injection site or a tick bite,” Becton says.

Producers should continue to perform normal daily animal monitoring/observations and identify suspect wounds that do not heal, have drainage or smell bad, she explains.

“Prompt treatment of scratches or other wounds with approved topical wound spray is important for everyday management of animal health/welfare,” Becton says. “Monitor other susceptible animals like newborn piglets for signs of myiasis. If lesions are suspected, contact your state veterinarian and your herd veterinarian.”

The most important thing U.S. pork producers need to know is that NWS is not currently in the U.S., Becton says. However, if you suspect an animal is affected, contact your herd and state veterinarian immediately for further investigation.

Current information related to NWS is available on the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website , including a current situation map and table showing cases within 400 miles of the U.S.

New World Screwworm Found in Newborn Calf 197 Miles from U.S.-Mexico Border

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:47:26 GMT

On Dec. 27, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in a 6-day-old calf with an umbilical lesion in Llera, located in the state of Tamaulipas, approximately 197 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission, there have been no other detections in Tamaulipas or any evidence of established fly populations in the area.

To support a swift response if NWS reaches Texas, producers located on the southern border and travelers from NWS-affected areas should closely monitor animals for signs and promptly report suspected cases of NWS.

Read more about how to identify NWS:
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

A suspected NWS case requires immediate action, but it all starts with one thing: your call. If you suspect an infestation, report it right away.

The Texas Animal Health Commission recently posted this video explaining the process for producers to take if they suspect a NWS case:

What Are Some Key Concerns if NWS Crosses the Border?

Texas beef producer Donnell Brown says NWS poses a real threat to rural America.

“Fortunately, we made it to winter without a major screwworm infestation in the United States,” he says. However, as temperatures rise this spring and fly season begins again, I am deeply concerned that we could see an outbreak with devastating consequences for livestock and wildlife.”

Read more about NWS and winter:
Winter: The Secret to Slowing the Spread of Screwworm

Brown recalls the previous NWS outbreak in Texas.

“Compared to the last screwworm epidemic I experienced as a child, we now have far more effective parasiticides with extended protection for livestock,” he says. “Unfortunately, we still lack practical ways to treat or protect wildlife. After the screwworms were eradicated in the 1970s, it was 15 years before I remember seeing deer on our ranch. Today, deer are abundant and hunting has become a major economic driver for ranchers and rural communities.”

Read more about NWS treatment and prevention options:

FDA Approves Exzolt Cattle-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm
FDA Approves Dectomax-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm
New Technology to Combat New World Screwworm

Browns says if NWS cause significant wildlife losses, the ripple effects would be severe.

“Fewer hunters would travel from cities to rural areas, reducing spending on food, fuel, feed, lodging and other local necessities. This would harm rural economies already under pressure,” he explains. “The risk is especially high because fawns and many other wild mammals are born during fly season. Their wet navels become prime targets for screwworm infestation, making the potential impact on wildlife populations both immediate and profound.”

Read more about NWS and wildlife:
The Importance of Wildlife Monitoring for New World Screwworm

Sterile Flies Remain Key to Eradicating New World Screwworm

“The continued detections of New World screwworm near the Texas border are grim reminders of the serious threat this pest poses to our state,” says Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “Thanks to the efforts of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and APHIS working in coordination with Mexico, its northward spread has been halted, and this recent case promises to be a one-off, for now. But to fully eradicate this threat, the bottom line remains unchanged: we need sterile flies. I said as much a year ago when I criticized the Biden Administration’s failed efforts to corral this pest — dollars don’t kill screwworms, sterile flies do.”

Under President Trump’s leadership, Secretary Rollins and the USDA have now committed to a historic, targeted response that will deliver real results.

“Earlier this year, I was proud to stand alongside Secretary Rollins in Edinburg, Texas, as she unveiled her comprehensive five-point plan , and again at the Texas Capitol as that plan was expanded ,” Miller says. “I will continue to support and advocate for federal efforts to expand sterile insect fly production and infrastructure, because this proven strategy is key to the long-term eradication of New World screwworm.”

Current information related to NWS is available on the USDA-APHIS website , including a current situation map and table showing cases within 400 miles of the U.S.

Your Next Reads:
The Battle at the Border
Preparing for the Battle Continues: USDA Shares Screwworm Update and Releases NWS Playbook

Second Screwworm Detection 120 Miles from U.S. Border

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:54:06 GMT

There was a new detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, approximately 120 miles south of the Texas border.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the case in a 22-month-old bovine transported from Veracruz to a feedlot in Nuevo León.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a press release emphasized that Texas remains free from detection, but that state officials and agriculture leaders cannot be complacent.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today issued the following statement after being notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of a new detection of the New World screwworm (NWS) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, approximately 120 miles south of the Texas… pic.twitter.com/Wb3uIwW3gf
— Texas Agriculture (@TexasDeptofAg) December 3, 2025

“We will keep working shoulder to shoulder with USDA, Mexican animal health authorities, and our own state agency partners to defend our border and Texans from this dangerous threat. We will protect our livestock, safeguard our economy, and do everything possible to keep the New World screwworm at bay,” Miller says.

He also encourages Texas producers to remain watchful for suspicious wounds, unhealed tissue, or maggot activity in livestock, wildlife, and pets, particularly in locations near the border.

Producers who suspect NWS should immediately contact their local veterinarian and state authorities. Early detection, strict livestock movement controls, screwworm fly suppression and rapid response are the best tools to combat this serious threat.

This detection marks the northernmost active case currently found in Mexico. It is also the second detection at the same Nuevo León feedlot since October. No additional cases were linked to the October detection, and both events appear tied to livestock movements from southern Mexico.

For more on NWS, including a current list of NWS detections within 400 miles of the U.S. visit Screwworm.gov .

Your Next Reads:
Next Step in the Screwworm Fight: USDA Announces Opening of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Tampico, Mexico
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Next Step in the Screwworm Fight: USDA Announces Opening of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Tampico, Mexico

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:31:40 GMT

USDA announced Thursday the opening of a sterile fly dispersal facility in Tampico, Mexico. The Tampico facility will allow USDA to disperse sterile flies aerially across northeastern Mexico, including in Nuevo Leon. This announcement is the next milestone in the fight against New World screwworm (NWS).

“The opening of the Tampico sterile fly dispersal facility is another incredibly important tool in our arsenal to stop the spread of screwworm. The facility will ensure flexibility and responsiveness in northern Mexico, giving us a greater ability to drop sterile flies and continue to push the pest south,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a press release . “Stopping the spread of screwworm is a top priority for the entire Trump administration.”

Last week Rollins met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her counterpart Secretary Julio Berdegue on the joint response to NWS.

“We are boosting our efforts and completing a joint review of our screwworm operations in Mexico to ensure our protocols are being followed,” she says. “As we enter the winter months , we continue to prioritize the response in Mexico and the rest of our five-pronged plan to protect U.S. livestock and the livelihoods of American farmers and ranchers.”

A proven method for NWS eradication is releasing sterile male flies to mate with wild females collapsing the population over time. There are two methods of dispersing sterile insects – aerial dispersal and ground release chambers. Aerial operations are preferred because they allow for dispersal at a steady rate through a large area and also because sterile insects may be dispersed in areas that are unreachable from the ground. Ground release chambers are used when there’s a need to quickly deploy sterile insects outside of the dispersal facility range.

Learn more about NWS:
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

According to the press release, USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico, but until now, aerial operations have been limited to southern Mexico, necessitating the use of ground release chambers in more northern areas of the country. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile flies remain critical components of our effective response.

Although Mexico continues to confirm new cases of NWS, the overwhelming majority of these remain in the far southern part of the country, with no significant northward expansion over the past several months. Should that change, the Tampico facility will allow USDA to immediately tackle any cases that occur elsewhere in Mexico.

The two northernmost detections (approximately 70 and 170 miles from the U.S. border, respectively) occurred in Nuevo León, on Sept. 20 and Oct. 5 , in young cattle transported from Chiapas, Mexico.

Neither case is still active and there have been no additional detections of NWS flies in traps or cases in animals in Nuevo Leon. USDA continues to disperse sterile insects in Nuevo Leon, and will now transition from ground release chambers to aerial dispersal in those areas.

USDA produces sterile flies for dispersal at the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa — which will double NWS production capacity once complete. With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates this sterile fly production to begin as soon as summer 2026.

To expand our domestic response capacity, USDA has also begun construction on a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, that is projected to begin operating in early 2026. APHIS is also expediting design and construction of a sterile fly production facility in southern Texas, with a targeted maximum capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week.

USDA continues to work with Mexico’s agriculture authority, SENASICA, to implement the collaborative NWS Action Plan and guide trapping, surveillance and movement protocols to help stop the northward spread of NWS.

Trade Mission While In Mexico

While Rollins was in Mexico last week, she also led the largest U.S. Department of Agriculture agribusiness trade mission in history. During the mission, 41 U.S. businesses, 33 cooperators and agriculture advocacy groups, six state departments of agriculture, and 150 participants conducted more than 500 business-to-business meetings during the three days.

According to a USDA press release , “This was a critical opportunity for American business to further trade ties and for USDA to continue its aggressive response to NWS in Mexico and continue to hold Mexico accountable for its commitments to the 1944 Water Treaty.”

Honored to lead the largest @USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission in US history to Mexico City!

Over three days, our delegation of 41 US businesses, 33 cooperators, 6 state departments of agriculture, and 150 participants held more than 500 business-to-business meetings - deepening a… pic.twitter.com/39rGi9Snhj
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) November 13, 2025

Your Next Read: Preparing for the Battle Continues: USDA Shares Screwworm Update and Releases NWS Playbook

Winter: The Secret to Slowing the Spread of Screwworm

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 11:03:28 GMT

Winter or colder temperatures — it’s not something you typically hear livestock producers anticipating or praying for. But this year, as the threat of New World screwworm continues to inch closer to the U.S.-Mexico border, winter can’t come soon enough.

“Certainly, winter will be our friend,” says Chris Womack, a veterinarian and rancher from San Angelo, Texas. “Historically the flies were pushed south with frost.”

USDA Agricultural Research Service entomologist Kim Lohmeyer agrees we need winter to come fast. Lohmeyer serves as the laboratory director of the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas, where she and her colleagues use modeling to know when and where NWS may show up in the U.S. They are partnering with Lee Cohnstaedt and his team at the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kan., to study the life stages of NWS and its susceptibility to temperature and weather.

“With the climate changes and weather patterns we have now, if this fly gets here, it can go a lot further north, a lot further east and a lot further west,” Lohmeyer says. “It’s something to keep an eye on.“

The Winter Win

So, what exactly does “winter” mean? Lohmeyer says NWS are fairly cold sensitive, so several days of sustained cold temperatures in around 30°F would be enough to suppress NWS.

The NWS’s ability to survive is restricted to locations where low temperatures are regularly above freezing. Ideal adult fly activity occurs at 77°F to 86°F and relative humidity of 30% to 70%.

“This fly really loves 81.5°F,” explains meteorologist Matt Makens. “The research shows that’s when they’re friskiest.”

Although the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) remains a primary control mechanism, Makens says studies have made it clear that eradication success, outbreak intensity and re-emergence potential are closely tied to weather and climate.

“From seasonal wind patterns to monsoonal moisture, numerous environmental conditions shape the life cycle, spread and population dynamics of this parasite,” Makens explains. “Understanding these weather-related drivers is critical not only for control, but also in considering how long-term temperature trends have altered the geographic boundaries of screwworm viability since the major outbreaks of the 1950s and early 1960s.”

During a recent Cattlemen’s Call podcast Makens said weather is one of the main forces of spreading NWS.

“If we could control the weather, we could control the fly,” he stresses.

(Maps: Makens Weather)

Research indicates larval and pupal development cannot proceed below approximately 58°F and halts above 110°F. The optimal temperature for adult survival and reproduction lies around 81.5°F, a range common in tropical and subtropical climates like Mexico and Central America. NWS do not survive in regions with cold winters, though they may spread into these areas during the warmer months.

Impact of temperature on NWS:

Reduced activity: Adult screwworm fly activity is limited when temperatures are below 59°F.
Larval vulnerability: Pupae are vulnerable to soil temperatures below 46°F. Sustained maximums hotter than 95°F can also be limiting — extreme heat reduces adult fly activity and increases mortality in larvae exposed to hot surface soils.
Life cycle: While the entire life cycle can be completed in warm conditions, it takes longer in cooler, more temperate environments.

“One of the secrets to historically, the northern limit of screwworm, was basically a matter of how cold the winter got. That sort of limited how far it got,” says Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist. “In years when it was warmer, it would go farther. It would overwinter farther north, but in general, that’s going to set the upper limit, or at least it does if it’s not under control in any other way. That will limit its northward, northern movement, for sure.”

1972 NWS data (A) Monthly maps of observed cases of myiasis in Texas during the 1972 outbreak. Highest abundance occurred in August, and the length of all other density colour bars were scaled to it (bars in right hand margin of each map). The maximum density is at the top of each colour bar with the highest midseason incidence occurring in south central Texas. (B) Histogram summarizing the monthly total statewide data. (C) Map of total cases of myiasis during 1972.

(Medical and Veterinary Entomology)

Fly Season

David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and Extension specialist, says, historically, the fly season is April to October.

“If we get a really cold winter, that helps us,” Anderson adds. “It buys us some more time. But things are warmer now than it used to be. Fly season may not be that April to October anymore.”

NWS’s typical life cycle lasts about 21 days in warm weather and slightly longer in cooler climates. According to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, NWS fly life cycle is highly sensitive to temperature:

In warm (more than 80ᴼF daytime highs) and tropical conditions, the full life cycle may be complete in two to three weeks.
In more temperate conditions, the life cycle may take three to four weeks.
In cooler conditions, the life cycle may take up to two to three months.

It is important to understand that the flies do not die at these lower activity temperatures, but prolonged exposure to these temperatures can reduce populations or active infestations.

Texas rancher Wayne Cockrell says NWS’s entry into the U.S. is inevitable but suggests winter and colder weather might temporarily delay the spread until next April or May. Cockrell serves as the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association director and chair of the cattle health and well-being policy committee.

“We should be within 60 days hopefully when cold weather helps in two-thirds of the state,” Cockrell explains.

Rainfall and Monsoon Factors

Makens says while temperature defines where screwworms can survive, rainfall and moisture influence when and how intensely they can thrive. Outbreaks often follow moderate to heavy rainfall by improving conditions for larval survival.

He explains tools like the Palmer Crop Moisture Index (CMI) have shown promise in predicting screwworm risk, with higher-than-normal CMI values sometimes preceding population spikes.

When rainfall coincides with favorable temperatures, screwworm activity tends to increase. In contrast, hot and dry conditions tend to suppress survival and reproduction.

“One of the most striking climate connections is the role of seasonal monsoon winds in transporting screwworms over long distances,” Makens explains. “In multiple outbreak years, adult flies were documented migrating northward into Texas and the desert Southwest via the North American Monsoon (NAM) — a seasonal pattern that delivers moisture to northwestern Mexico and the U.S. Southwest from June through September. During the summer, prevailing winds shift from west to a more humid, southerly flow, creating favorable conditions for fly migration from central and southern Mexico into their northern states and, at times, into the southern U.S. The NAM this year had an early start and gave significant rainfall to parts of Arizona and New Mexico. The NAM typically calms by early fall.”

In the 1960s, these wind-assisted movements allowed the temporary re-establishment of breeding populations even after local eradication. In some years, migration spanned hundreds of miles, connecting source populations in northern Mexico to re-infestations in Arizona and New Mexico.

“This atmospheric ‘conveyor belt’ remains a critical concern in surveillance strategies for livestock-producing regions of the Southwest,” Makens says. “The 2025 monsoon was undoubtedly a factor in the most recent northward migration of NWS.”

If NWS should cross the border, it will be key for producers to coordinate management practices with weather patterns expected for their region.

“Ultimately, weather patterns act as both a barrier and bridge for screwworm activity,” Makens summarizes. “Knowing how and when the balance tips is essential to preventing the return of one of the industry’s most damaging parasites.”

Here’s to hoping Old Man Winter decides to arrive quickly and help buy livestock producers and government leaders more time to prepare to battle NWS.

Your Next Read: The Battle at the Border

New Technology to Combat New World Screwworm

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:31:12 GMT

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Radiological Security (ORS) is partnering with Texas A&M University to combat New World screwworm (NWS) .

On Sept. 21, USDA announced NWS had been found less than 70 miles from the U.S. border near one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world.

Working with Texas A&M’s National Center for Electron Beam Research (NCEBR), NNSA is advancing the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) using electron beam (eBeam) technology in place of radioactive cobalt. SIT effectively prevents the spread of NWS by releasing sterilized male screwworms to halt reproduction and reduce their population.

According to the release, ORS’s mission includes preventing the misuse of highly radioactive materials and promoting innovative alternatives like eBeam devices. The eBeam technology eliminates the need for radioactive sources, which could be used for nefarious purposes if they fell into the wrong hands.

This collaboration enhances radiological security best practices nationwide, thus strengthening national security.

“Our mission-driven partnership with Texas A&M is essential to advancing American innovation in eBeam applications and enhancing our national security,” says Kristin Hirsch, Director of ORS. “With the support of Texas A&M AgriLife experts, NNSA is able to help combat the spread of the NWS, building stronger food systems and safer communities across the country.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently announced a new NWS fly dispersal facility in Texas and a five-pronged plan for eradicating the pest. The plan includes the USDA pursuing innovative research, such as eBeam and other technologies.

Currently, SIT relies on cobalt-60 gamma sterilization. But cobalt-60 carries significant radiological security risks, so NNSA, NCEBR and Texas A&M’s Department of Entomology have worked to find replacement methods. Through modeling studies sponsored by NNSA and conducted by Texas A&M since 2023, researchers identified eBeam technology as a viable alternative and are working to make it available to USDA to combat NWS.

The eBeam system at work, sterilizing screwworm pupae. This technology is vital for protecting U.S. agriculture and radiological security.

(U.S. Department of Energy NNSA)

NNSA has been collaborating on the development of an eBeam system to be used for chemical remediation, another critical area where cobalt-60 use could become a risk. NNSA is repurposing this technology toward NWS response and accelerating development to make eBeam available to USDA by early 2026.

Once integrated into a rearing facility, it could create more than 100 million sterile flies in 24 hours. That’s a vast improvement compared to cobalt-60, which can take a week to do the same amount. This efficiency would be a game-changer in NWS response.

Your Next Read: The Battle at the Border

U.S.-Mexico Border Battle Continues As the Threat of New World Screwworm Intensifies

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:04:06 GMT

With New World screwworm (NWS) confirmed just 70 miles from the U.S. border , producers, government officials and industry leaders are taking action. Finding NWS along one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, to Laredo, Texas, is a red flag for the industry. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong safeguards, it’s time to plan for not “if but when” NWS crosses the border.

On Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins confirmed protecting the U.S. from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority for President Trump.

UPDATE ON SCREWWORM THREAT:

Protecting the United States from New World Screwworm is non-negotiable and a top priority for @POTUS.@USDA landed boots on the ground this morning in Nuevo Leon, physically inspecting traps and dispersing sterile flies after the detection of the…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 23, 2025

“The southern border remains closed to livestock trade, and we are aggressively expanding trapping and surveillance,” she wrote. “At the same time, we’re expediting operations at our sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Texas .”

On Tuesday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins reported 80,000 sterile flies were released on “spot” and nearly 200 surge staff had been deployed to Mexico.

Thank you, @IngrahamAngle, for paying attention to this important issue. Due to multiple failures from our southern neighbors and failure to act in the last Admin, the devastating parasite New World Screwworm is knocking on our southern borders door. We’re not waiting, we’re… pic.twitter.com/ZO5Vx5oes8
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 24, 2025

Mexico’s Response To New World Screwworm

According to Reuters, Mexican’s agriculture ministry said there is no risk of adult screwworm fly emergence due to the early detection of the infected bovine, which was confirmed on Sept. 21. The infected animal was in a shipment of 100 animals originating from the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, according to the statement.

Fly traps in northern Mexico have not detected a single screwworm fly.

U.S.-Mexico Border Remains Closed to Cattle Trade

The Mexican border closure remains a topic of debate. The September Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found 80% of ag economists surveyed oppose reopening the border to Mexican cattle due to screwworm risks.

(Farm Journal)

The border closure has created significant division within the cattle industry with producers, feeders and industry leaders on both sides of the fence.

“We have some cattle people that are glad it’s closed. We’ve got others who are hit pretty hard and are not happy about it,” explains David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and extension specialist — livestock and food product marketing.

NWS is a threat the industry can not ignore, says the ag economist with more than 30 years under his belt.

“I think this is the most serious problem the industry has faced since I’ve been a livestock economist,” he stresses.

From his perspective, keeping the border open with heightened monitoring and surveillance could have potentially been more effective than implementing a total closure.

“If we go back and look at data from the early ‘70s, when we had a big screwworm outbreak in the U.S. and Mexico, the border was open,” he says. “I probably would have leaned to not closing the border to begin with. I understand why you would want to do that, but I don’t know that it’s ended up reducing the likelihood that we’re going to get screwworms, and yet we’re paying a price for that.”

According to Anderson the economic consequences to the border being closed are:

Significant loss of approximately 26,000 imported cattle weekly
Estimated 18% reduction in cattle placements in Southern plains
Contributed to tighter beef supplies and higher consumer prices
Substantial economic hit to cattle feeders and ranchers

At this point, he’s quick to admit keeping the border closed is the best option.

When it comes to reopening the border, Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist with Oklahoma State University, suggests the decision is not straightforward.

“Given everything I’ve experienced, it’s probably prudent to leave the border closed,” he says.

He adds any reopening should be “under very, very controlled, limited circumstances.”

Peel emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach with Mexico.

“We’re kind of in it together, and so whether it’s here or there, we’ve got to work together,” he summarizes. “We’re going to need to control it in both places. Otherwise, it’s not going to benefit either one of us.”

He also points out not everybody in Mexico is sorry the border is closed. For example, cattle buyers in Mexico can source cattle cheaper because the border is closed.

“Keeping the border closed does affect the movement of cattle south of the border ... it builds a backstop for cattle movement north,” he adds.

Peel notes cattle from Central America to Panama have increasingly made their way to the Mexican market, which validates NWS movement in Mexico and why recent confirmation has occurred.

“The longer this goes on, the more the Mexican industry will adjust,” he says. “It might permanently change the way the [U.S. and Mexico] work together.”

Texas Rancher Weighs In On Impact of New World Screwworm

Texas rancher Wayne Cockrell says the parasite’s entry into the U.S. is inevitable, suggesting that winter and colder weather might temporarily delay the spread until next April or May. Cockrell, who serves as the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association director and chair of the cattle health and well-being policy committee, recently joined AgriTalk to talk about NWS.

“We would much rather stop this on Mexico’s southern border than our Southern border,” Cockrell says.

Mexican feeder cattle traditionally represented 30% of Texas feedyard inventory, he adds, but with current restrictions, feedlots are adapting.

“I think a lot of those feedyards have moved to the dairy-cross side,” he adds. “They have had to change the way they do business.”

Noting the broader economic implications of the border closure, 1.2 million fewer cattle for Texas represents “about two weeks” of impact nationwide, according to Cockrell.

“Winter and sterile flies is what we need now,” Cockrell summarizes.

Your Next Read: The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Breaking News: USDA to Invest $750 Million to Build a Domestic Sterile Fly Production Facility

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:57:11 GMT

Today in Austin, Texas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hosted a press conference announcing new strategies to stop the spread New World screwworm .

“We will continue to take all necessary steps across the entirety of the federal government, working alongside our partners at the state government, and in the local governments, to ensure that we keep this pest — this parasite, and others like it — out of our country that threaten our economy and our way of life,” Rollins says.

I’m in Texas today as we continue to aggressively address the serious New World Screwworm threat endangering our American livestock industry and our nation’s national security. @USDA is announcing a historic investment to STOP screwworm in its tracks — with 5 pillars of action:… pic.twitter.com/ukcWSSamcZ
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) August 15, 2025

Rollins shared five pillars of action to help keep NWS out of Texas and the U.S.:

1. Innovate to Eradicate — Investment in new tech, traps and treatments
Rollins plans to allocate up to $100 million to develop cutting-edge technologies to accelerate the country’s response.

While sterile flies are currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of NWS, technology continues to evolve and as such USDA will provide up to $100 million to invest in viable innovations which could show rapid advancement of promising technologies that will augment the U.S. facility and accelerate the pace of sterile fly production if proven successful.

USDA will support proven concepts that only require funding to scale and implement as well as a number of longer-term research projects focused on: new sterile NWS production techniques, novel NWS traps and lures, NWS therapeutics that could be stockpiled and used should NWS reach the U.S., and any other tools to bolster preparedness or response to NWS.

“I’m calling on the brightest minds in the country to build on our existing tools and help us outpace this pest quickly and in the most innovative way possible,” Rollins says.

2. Build Domestic Production
She announced the plan to invest $750 million to build a domestic sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas, which will be capable of producing 300 million sterile screwworm flies per week. This facility will be located 20 miles from the southern border and near the Moore Air Base in Texas.

Once complete, the facility will triple current fly output and reduce reliance on Panama and Mexico for sterile fly production. Rollins says it will also create 300 jobs in Texas.

Prior to this announcement, the USDA committed Moore Airfield Base as a dispersal facility for sterile NWS flies, which was to be completed at the end of the year. While NWS can be treated, the only proven method for eradication is releasing sterile male flies to mate with wild females collapsing the population over time.

The only sterile fly facility in the world is COPEG in Pacora, Panamá which is currently operating at full capacity, producing 115 million flies per week. The U.S. owned a facility in Chiapas during the NWS outbreak in the 1960s but it has since been closed.

1 of 3:

Leaders of NCBA and TSCRA attend New World screwworm briefing in Texas.

TSCRA

2 of 3:

Leaders of NCBA and TSCRA attend New World screwworm briefing in Texas.

TSCRA

3 of 3:

Leaders of NCBA and TSCRA attend New World screwworm briefing in Texas.

TSCRA

3. Border Defense — Wildlife Migration Prevention
Animals don’t know borders, and that leaves the U.S potentially vulnerable to NWS from wildlife migrating across the border. USDA is working aggressively to ramp up the hiring of USDA-employed mounted patrol officers, known as “Tick Riders,” and other staff who will focus on border surveillance.

The Tick Riders will be complemented by other animal health experts who will patrol the border in vehicles and will provide the first line of defense against an NWS outbreak along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rollins explains the tick riders, mounted on horseback, will provide the first line of defense against a NWS outbreak along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Next stop: the Texas-Mexico Border, where I rode along the Rio Grande with @USDA Cattle Fever Tick Cowboys!🇺🇸

This dedicated team patrols the border every day to stop the spread of cattle fever ticks and protect our livestock. Their vigilance is essential to also keeping the… pic.twitter.com/2sdryZAYQg
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 18, 2025

USDA will also begin training detector dogs to detect screwworm infestations in livestock and other animals along our border and at various ports of entry. These dogs will be essential to help control the spread of the NWS. USDA is working closely with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S Customs and Border Protection to monitor the border for NWS-infected wildlife that could pose a threat to the U.S.

“We’re also training our beagles on the beagle brigade, to detect screwworm infections, and we will be significantly ramping up our border surveillance program with those and others,” she says.

4. Partner with Mexico – Contain the pest before it reaches our border by enhancing collaboration

Boost surveillance and training
Halt animal movement in affected zones
Improve real-time tracking and response

“We are working directly with Mexico, perhaps in a way never seen before,” Rollins says.

5. Work with our partners in federal, state, and private sector — Educate consumers and protect the U.S. food supply chain

“Once eradicated in the United States decades ago, [NWS] has now reemerged dangerously close to our Southern border — closest to Texas, but also waging a war with our friends in Arizona and New Mexico as well,” Rollins summarizes. “Its peril is not just in the cause, but because it endangers the livelihood of our livestock. It endangers our livestock industry, and it threatens the stability of beef prices for consumers across America. It’s a dinner table issue, as Governor Abbott mentioned, and one that affects every American home and community — directly affecting the cost of groceries and therefore the cost of living. All Americans should be concerned.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced continued support for USDA’s aggressive plan.

“American cattle producers commend President Trump and Secretary Rollins for their swift action in combating the spread of New World screwworm. Their leadership and diligence, along with USDA’s collaboration with Texas in building sterile fly production and distribution facilities at Moore Air Base, marks a critical step in stopping the spread of screwworm and protecting the American cattle herd,” says NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Today’s announcement of rapid construction of sterile fly facilities, that will boost weekly output of flies to more than 300 million, is vital news for U.S. cattle producers. Producing flies domestically under American oversight will overcome supply challenges in Mexico and Central America — strengthening our fight against New World screwworm and protecting herds on both sides of the border.”

During the question and answer session, Rollins said the ports for Mexican cattle will remain closed until the NWS threat is controlled.

“We’ve been very clear to them over and over again that those ports don’t open until we begin to push the screwworm back,” Rollins says.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was at the announcement in Austin.

(Texas Department of Agriculture)

“I was pleased to welcome my friend U.S Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins back to Texas and applaud her continued commitment to fight the New World Screwworm threat that puts our state’s $30 billion livestock industry in jeopardy,” he says. “Her announcement about USDA’s plans to construct a new sterile fly production facility in South Texas was welcome news. When completed, it should serve as an important tool in our battle against the screwworm.”

Miller and Rollins have worked together to fight NWS the last six months.

“The Texas Department of Agriculture and I will continue to work side-by-side with Secretary Rollins to develop the tools necessary to combat this insidious threat and protect our agriculture industry and all who depend upon it.”

New World Screwworm Battle: Texas to Deploy Fly Bait That Mimics Open Wound Scent

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 23:08:43 GMT

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has announced a bold step forward in the battle against New World screwworm (NWS). Working closely with USDA and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is spearheading efforts to reintroduce an improved pest control method to NWS — Swormlure Bait .

“The New World screwworm is not just a Texas problem,” Miller says. “This is a nationwide crisis with potential massive implications for American agriculture, which could result in billions of dollars in economic losses and place a heavy burden on our agriculture, wildlife industries and public health systems. We cannot wait for sterile flies alone to turn the tide. That’s why we’re applying a little cowboy logic and bringing back Swormlure, now with an enhanced formula that’s more powerful and effective than ever.”

The NWS issue has shut down cattle imports from Mexico into the U.S.

The NWS was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s but experienced an isolated outbreak in the 1970s. It was ultimately eliminated again through a coordinated response that included the release of sterile flies, deployment of the Swormlure-2 attractant, and application of the insecticide Dichlorvos.

What is Swormlure?

A synthetic bait designed to attract adult screwworm flies, Swormlure may be highly effective when combined with insecticides, such as Dichlorvos, in eradicating NWS. Miller has directed TDA to lead development and deployment of this bait to enhance eradication efforts.

“Swormlure-5, created using modern science and built upon previous versions — Swormlure-2 and Swormlure-4 — is a potent synthetic attractant that mimics the scent of open wounds, drawing adult screwworm flies to the bait, where they die,” Miller explains.

Swormlure-5 bait, when used as an attractant and capture tool, is highly targeted. The attractant only impacts screwworm and blow flies and should pose no threat to beneficial insects such as honeybees, monarch butterflies or other pollinators.

“Today, we’re doing it smarter, faster and stronger. Swarmlure-5 bait will attract and trap flies, specifically screwworm and blow flies, which are both better off dead,” Miller adds. “In prior research and deployment, this method eliminated approximately 90% of the flies within a two-to-four-week period. The remaining 10% were eliminated with the release of sterile male flies in the areas where traps were deployed.”

This effort should reinforce existing sterile fly operations and supercharge early detection and suppression of screwworm fly populations.

This collaboration with USDA and Rollins emphasizes Texas’ leadership in agricultural biosecurity. TDA will coordinate the deployment of specialized Swormlure-5 traps to monitor and control potential hotspots in collaboration with USDA, the Government of Mexico and other state and federal partners.

“We’ve beaten the NWS before, and we’ll do it again. But it will take all hands on deck,” Miller adds. “We need another success story like we had in the ’70s, and I believe Swormlure-5 bait is the game-changer that will get us there.”

Your Next Read: The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Breaking: Mexican Border Closed Again as New World Screwworm Comes Within 370 Miles of the U.S.

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:18:05 GMT

On July 8, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality reported a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, Mexico, which is approximately 160 miles northward of the current sterile fly dispersal grid on the eastern side of the country and 370 miles south of the U.S./Mexico border.

This new northward detection comes approximately two months after northern detections were reported in Oaxaca and Veracruz, less than 700 miles away from the U.S. border, which triggered the closure of our ports to Mexican cattle, bison and horses on May 11, 2025 .

While USDA announced a risk-based phased port re-opening strategy for cattle, bison and equine from Mexico beginning as early as July 7, 2025 , this newly reported NWS case raises significant concern about the previously information shared by Mexican officials and severely compromises the outlined port reopening schedule of five ports from July 7 to Sept. 15. Therefore, in order to protect American livestock and the U.S. food supply, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately.

“The United States has promised to be vigilant — and after detecting this new NWS case, we are pausing the planned port reopening’s to further quarantine and target this deadly pest in Mexico. We must see additional progress combatting NWS in Veracruz and other nearby Mexican states in order to reopen livestock ports along the Southern border,” Rollins says. “Thanks to the aggressive monitoring by USDA staff in the U.S. and in Mexico, we have been able to take quick and decisive action to respond to the spread of this deadly pest.”

To ensure the protection of U.S. livestock herds, USDA is holding Mexico accountable by ensuring proactive measures are being taken to maintain a NWS free barrier. This is maintained with stringent animal movement controls, surveillance, trapping and following the proven science to push the NWS barrier south in phases as quickly as possible.

In June, Secretary Rollins launched a 5-point plan to combat NWS by protecting our border at all costs, increasing eradication efforts in Mexico, and increasing readiness. USDA also announced the groundbreaking of a sterile fly dispersal facility in South Texas. This facility will provide a critical contingency capability to disperse sterile flies should a NWS detection be made in the Southern U.S.

Simultaneously, USDA is moving forward with the design process to build a domestic sterile fly production facility to ensure it has the resources to push NWS back to the Darien Gap. USDA is working on these efforts in lockstep with border states – Arizona, New Mexico and Texas – as it will take a coordinated approach with federal, state and local partners to keep this pest at bay and out of the U.S.

USDA will continue to have personnel perform site visits throughout Mexico to ensure the Mexican government has adequate protocols and surveillance in place to combat this pest effectively and efficiently.

Click to enlarge.

(USDA)

Your Next Read: Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

Rollins Rolls Out 5-Point Plan to Contain New World Screwworm

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:01:29 GMT

Today Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to combat New World screwworm (NWS) – a pest that would devastate ranchers if it made its way across the border.

Rollins made her announcement at the Moore Air Base facility near Edinburg, Texas. Moore was instrumental as a sterile fly production lab to rid the U.S. of NWS in the 1960s and 1970s. Hundreds of millions of flies were reared, sterilized with radiation and dropped from aircraft to eliminate the parasitic pest that preyed upon wildlife and livestock. According to a USDA spokesperson it will cost an estimated $8.5 million to get the base up and running as a distribution facility.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins this morning launched an $8.5 million sterile New World screwworm (NWS) fly dispersal facility in South Texas and announced a plan to enhance USDA’s already robust ability to detect, control, and eliminate this pest.

(U.S. Department of Agriculture)

According to the Texas Wildlife Association , there are currently more than 1,800 cases of livestock infestation in southern Mexico. The flies are moving north and are currently 600 miles from the south Texas border.

“We have defeated the screwworm before, and we will do it again,” Rollins says.

Here in McAllen, TX to announce a BOLD 5-pronged plan to combat the deadly parasite called New World Screwworm – which would devastate ranchers if it made its way across the border.

We are protecting producers, strengthening biosecurity, and ALWAYS standing up for American… pic.twitter.com/VHOlqZyZ9a
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 18, 2025

Her five-pronged plan to combat NWS includes:

Stop the pest from spreading in Mexico.
Rollins plans to continue partnering with her Mexican counterparts and using sterile insect technology to stop the spread. This includes investing $21 million to produce up to 100 million additional sterile flies weekly.

“We are first enhancing the international sterile fly production and investing $21 million in renovation of an existing fly facility in southern Mexico, which will provide up to 100 million additional sterile flies every week to stop the spread,” Rollins says.

Currently, the only sterile fly facility is located in Panama. It’s jointly run by the Panamanian government and the U.S. government. USDA had previously announced its plan to invest in the retrofiting of a fruit fly facility in Chiapas, Mexico, to produce additional sterile flies.

According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association , “The Chiapas facility produces about 117 million flies per week, but to form an effective barrier along the U.S. southern border, we need upward of 300 million sterile flies per week.”
Protect the U.S. at all costs.
Rollins temporarily closed the southern border to live animal imports and intercepting illegally introduced livestock. USDA is working closely with Mexico to improve surveillance.

“I do believe we have met and moved into a new era of productive partnership —perhaps better than ever before — with our Mexican counterparts,” Rollins says.
Maximize our readiness.
This will be achieved by partnering with state animal health officials to update emergency management plans and stockpile therapeutics for ranchers.
Take the fight to the screwworm.
The domestic fight includes establishing a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base. Rollins says they are exploring options for building a domestic production facility at Moore that could produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week.

“We can’t get a brand new facility up and running probably before two or three years. So, that’s why we’ve got to really focus on the today,” Rollins explains.

She also announced USDA will be hosting listening sessions in affected areas starting next week.
Innovate Our Way to Eradication.
Leverage the sound science including USDA’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) to continue to quickly develop novel treatments, preventatives and response strategies. Rollins says this includes working with land grant universities in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. She listed these key strategies during the press conference:
- Develop better fly traps and lures
- Provide local training
- Improve surveillance methods
- Create new response strategies

Nearly 80 lawmakers led by House Ag Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) sent a bipartisan letter on Tuesday to Rollins urging immediate action and promising congressional support for the significant funding required.

The letter included this message, “When looking solely at the historical impact of NWS in Texas, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) estimates a contemporary outbreak would cost producers $732 million per year and the Texas economy a loss of $1.8 billion. Extrapolating those results to the states within the historic range of NWS pre-eradication, a contemporary outbreak of NWS could cost producers $4.3 billion per year and cause a total economic loss of more than $10.6 billion. This does not account for the possible expansion of NWS beyond the historic range.”

U.S. Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) was at the announcement and recently shared in a letter to Rollins these key advantages of the Moore Air Base location:

Border proximity: The proximity to the border with Mexico is crucial for effective monitoring and control of potential incursions of invasive fly species. A facility in this region would allow for rapid response and containment, minimizing the spread of infestations into the U.S.
Existing agricultural infrastructure: The region boasts a robust agricultural sector with established infrastructure and expertise in livestock management. This existing framework would facilitate efficient integration of the sterile fly facility and streamline its operations. Additionally, Moore Air Base has operations runways equipped to distribute sterile flies.
Strategic location: Moore Air Base offers a central location for distribution of sterile flies to other areas in the southern U.S., if such a need arises. Additionally, this base was the site of a facility used in the 1960s to successfully combat NWS.
Economic impact: The establishment of such a facility would provide valuable economic opportunities for the region by generating jobs and stimulating local economies.

U.S. Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) summarized at the announcement, “This is important to the whole country. We are going to be aggressive about this, and we are going to make sure that we don’t get screwed by the screwworm.”

Your Next Read: Urgency in Action: We Must Eradicate New World Screwworm

Preempting African Swine Fever in Texas with Research

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:42:49 GMT

By Gabe Saldana

As feral hog populations increase in Texas and the U.S., they create desirable conditions for disease-carrying ticks and increase the risk for an outbreak of African swine fever virus, ASFV.

To ensure the devastating ASFV stays out of Texas and the Southern U.S., a multi-institution research project led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research will assess the potential, or vector competency, of a southern Ornithodoros turicata tick to transmit the disease.

The nearly $1.5 million project is supported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate through Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense, CBTS, a DHS Center of Excellence within AgriLife Research.

Results from the project will fill critical knowledge gaps in the vector competency of ticks in the U.S. It will be an early key step toward research-based solutions that keep Texas and the Southern U.S. free of ASFV.

Assessing tick vector competency for ASFV transmission in Texas
“These ticks are in several southern states and are common in Texas,” said Meriam Saleh, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Saleh is the project’s principal investigator.

“Laboratory studies using a subspecies of these ticks, which originated in Florida, demonstrated high vector competency for ASFV to pigs,” she said. “Our research aims to confirm whether the Texas ticks carry the same ability to transmit the disease.”

Dee Ellis, DVM, AgriLife Research veterinarian within the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology., and Scott Kenney, Ph.D., of Ohio State University, join Saleh as co-principal investigators.

The team will evaluate the biology and transmissibility of different ASFV strains and genotypes in ticks. They will determine the ability of other species to host or spread ASFV from ticks in the U.S.

Preempting an outbreak with research
African swine fever, as its name suggests, is a tick-borne DNA virus originating in Africa, where Ornithodoros moubata ticks persist in a continuous cycle with wild warthogs.

In Texas, unique challenges come from a host of issues: the presence of potential tick vectors, the expanding feral swine population, expansive suitable habitat for ticks and feral swine, commercial swine operations and the U.S. border with Mexico among others.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service estimates that an ASFV outbreak in the U.S. would devastate the U.S. pork industry with a 50% drop in hog prices, a halt in pork and pork product exports, as well as significant job losses and culling of the animals.

In Texas, according to the Texas Pork Producers Association, feral pigs outnumber domestic swine at least 3-to-1.

Adult ticks have been documented to live for years between feedings. Several species of Ornithodoros ticks in North America have demonstrated African swine fever transmission to swine in laboratory settings.

“Leading-edge discoveries and innovation will be the keys to staying ahead of ASFV for Texas and the Southern U.S.,” said Heather Manley Lillibridge, Ph.D., executive director of CBTS. “Collaborations across multiple institutions provide us with the resources and expertise for continued success.”

Your Next Read: The Pork Industry Responds to EPA’s Rodenticide Strategy

Rare Human Case of Bird Flu Confirmed. Officials Believe it Began on Texas Dairy

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:07:46 GMT

Just a week after discovering that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, was the cause of illness for several dairy herds throughout the Texas Panhandle, New Mexico and Kansas , the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is now reporting that a human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus has been confirmed in Texas. The case was identified in a person who had direct exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with the disease.

The patient, who experienced eye inflammation as their only symptom, was tested for flu late last week with confirmatory testing performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the weekend. Currently, the patient is being treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir. The DSHS reports that the human case does not change the risk for the general public, which still remains low.

According to the CDC, this is the second human case of H5N1 flu in the U.S. and the first linked to an exposure to cattle. Symptoms can include a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, fatigue, eye redness, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or seizures. The illness can range from mild to severe, and health care providers who come across someone who may have the virus should “immediately consult their local health department,” according to the alert.

“The risk to the general public is believed to be low; however, people with close contact with affected animals suspected of having avian influenza A(H5N1) have a higher risk of infection,” the alert said.

While the disease is new to the dairy industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says there is no safety concern to the commercial milk supply. Consumer health is also not at risk, the department said. The milk from impacted animals is being dumped or destroyed and will not enter the food supply.

“Milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply,” agencies said. “In addition, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. FDA’s longstanding position is that unpasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to consumers, and FDA is reminding consumers of the risks associated with raw milk consumption in light of the HPAI detections.”

The virus was detected in dairy herds in Texas and Kansas last week and has since spread to additional herds in at least five states, all of which include:

Texas
Kansas
New Mexico
Idaho
Michigan

This leads some scientists to believe that the virus may be spreading cow-to-cow.

Texas officials are guiding affected dairies about how to minimize workers’ exposure and how people who work with affected cattle can monitor for flu-like symptoms and get tested.

In addition, officials are strongly advising dairy producers to use all standard biosecurity measures. They note it’s important for producers to clean and disinfect all livestock watering devices and isolate drinking water where it might be contaminated by waterfowl. Farmers are also being asked to notify their herd veterinarian if they suspect any cattle within their herd are displaying symptoms of this condition.

“Unlike affected poultry, I foresee there will be no need to depopulate dairy herds,” says Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “Cattle are expected to fully recover. The Texas Department of Agriculture is committed to providing unwavering support to our dairy industry.”

For more n HPAI, read:

Feral Swine Damages Reach $28 Per Acre Annually in Western Gulf Region, Study Finds

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:36:30 GMT

Managing land-damaging, disease-carrying feral swine starts with good data, according to the Arkansas Forest Resources Center’s Nana Tian, a forest economics researcher, in a recent release .

Found in at least 35 states, landowners find physical and economic damage to croplands, forestlands, pastureland and livestock by the invasive species. According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the species root and wallow their way to an estimated $1.5 billion in economic damage annually across the U.S.

A problem for farmers with field crops and ranchers with livestock, feral swine have been known to evade traps and can trick even the most seasoned hunters and trappers, says Becky McPeake, Extension wildlife specialist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, who also serves on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Feral Hog Eradication Task Force.

The Study

A recently published survey estimates feral swine damages over five years across all of Arkansas, Louisiana and 38 eastern Texas counties, administered through the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station by the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a partnership between the University of Arkansas System Divisions of Agriculture and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

A group of 4,500 landowners, who owned an average of 200 acres in the included areas, were surveyed, as the administrators felt this demographic may face more limitations than larger landowners in technical and financial assistance, Tian says.

Conducted in 2021 and published in January 2023, the project initiated by Tian with research partners Jianbang Gan, professor in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology at Texas A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and Gordon Holley, professor in the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry at Louisiana Tech University, obtained over 900 survey responses from the three-state area.

The Results

According to survey data, cropland, the combination of different land uses and pastureland, were the top three land use types for the respondents in all three states.

Respondents shared their major concerns of damage included damage to crops or food plots in Arkansas and Louisiana, while damage to pastures was the most important to landowners in east Texas. Additionally, landowners were concerned about losses in overall land values with the presence of feral swine on their properties, in addition to the direct damage they cause.

Using survey data, the researchers estimate that landowners averaged $28 per acre in damage over the past five years in both Arkansas and Louisiana and approximately $25 per acre in east Texas. Crops most reported to be effected include corn, soybeans, rice, wheat, hay, silage and forage crops.

Additionally, the three states experienced an average of approximately $11 per acre damage to pastureland.

Of all the landowners surveyed, the most important feral swine damage activities were rooting/grubbing and wallowing, the survey found. Rooting/grubbing is the major and primary food-searching method for the species.

“The results from this multi-state study provide a broader and deeper understanding of landowners’ perception and assessment of feral swine damage on their rural lands, which is of value for developing and implementing regionwide control measures,” concluded the article .

Read More:

Feral Swine Are Potential Hosts of JEV

How is the U.S. Managing the Feral Hog Population?

San Antonio Barrow Show Winner Captures Hearts and Breaks Records

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 21:56:32 GMT

There wasn’t a dry eye in the barn when Samantha Nicole Iselt of Lexington, Texas, was named the exhibitor of the Grand Champion Market Barrow at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. On Friday, she won over hearts again when she walked her barrow into the sale ring. Iselt sold her pig for a record-breaking $157,000 and received a $10,000 scholarship.

Time stood still
The energy and commotion before the champion barrow drive was like nothing judge Brandon Yantis of Piper City, Ill., had ever experienced. People piled around the show ring in San Antonio, Texas, on Thursday for one of the most popular champion drives of the year.

Lead judge Ryan Sites of Tuttle, Okla., finished his comments on the champion barrow as Yantis made his way over to give 17-year-old Samantha, the daughter of Tobin and Fonda Iselt, a high-five and award her the coveted banner. The crowd erupted and everyone jumped to their feet to cheer.

“And then it was like time stood still,” Yantis says. “It was a moment I will never forget. The smile on the young exhibitor’s face and the tears of joy in her eyes remind you of why this all matters.”

There’s no question that Samantha’s barrow was unique and many said he was the best they’d ever seen. During the Champion Hampshire drive, Yantis told the crowd that his winner was incredibly challenging to assemble. He admits it probably wasn’t a surprise to anyone when he shook Samantha’s hand.

When there are no words
No one could deny that what helped this Hampshire show his heart out was the young girl walking beside him. Samantha’s connection to her pig was undeniable.

“I cried… watching her drive that pig all by herself,” says friend Kevin Thomas, an ag teacher of 24 years from Jacksboro, Texas. Samantha has Down Syndrome and has a helper in the ring when she shows. But she didn’t need a helper at San Antonio, Thomas says.

“She was driving the pig out of corners, transitioning from judge side to off-judge side,” he says. “The bond and the training she has done with that hog are undeniable. She stumbled and dropped her stick once and the hog still held its head up just like it did when she was touching him. That’s the bond, work ethic and repetition of that animal and [Samantha] that allowed it to perform like no other.”

For Samantha’s brother, Coby Berger, watching his sister win San Antonio was a moment that he can’t adequately put into words.

“It was absolutely crazy. I was sick to my stomach and as nervous as I could be,” Coby says. “It didn’t feel real when I watched the judge slap her hand. I will hold this in and remember it for as long as I can for the rest of my life.”

And by the look of the smile on Samantha’s face, the tears streaming from her eyes and the big waves she gave the crowd, words weren’t needed to express how she felt when she walked out of the ring with her awards.

Coby and his father, Cliff Berger, bred and raised this record-setting animal. But for those who know Coby, that was just a small part of why that win was so meaningful.

“He has dedicated his whole life to his kid sister, to the point that he hasn’t even chased his own dreams because his drive is to see her succeed,” Thomas says.
Coby says his sister has been a blessing to their family since the day she was born.

“She changed me,” he says. “We are inseparable and she’s honestly my best friend. She keeps me motivated every day. I’m so passionate about showing livestock because for her to be able to go into the ring and show like that – for 10 minutes she is just like any other kid in the ring.”

It’s about kids, not pigs
In the show industry, it’s often said that livestock projects are about making better kids. Thomas believes this is truly what showing livestock has done for Samantha.

“I’ve always felt like the pig is just a vehicle for a kid to be a good human,” Thomas says. “It’s a small bottle of time you have with your kids to teach them about life.”

Coby has been around pigs his entire life – his father used to run a commercial swine operation. At age 3, Coby began showing pigs. After high school, they started to raise more pigs for the show ring. However, Samantha didn’t start showing pigs as early as her brother did.

“At first, I didn’t think Samantha would be able to do it,” he admits. “But one day when she was about 10 years old, I asked her to walk a pig so I could look at it. Showing was just natural for her. She’s been showing ever since.”

But why pigs? With so many options of livestock to choose from, pigs are the most affordable for the average kid and is a project that all kids have a chance to succeed in.

“A lot of things have to work right – integrity of the judge, quality stock and genetics, and teachability,” Thomas adds. “All of those are variables, but every kid still has a chance.”

Showing and raising livestock reminds kids that working hard, respecting one another and doing your best goes a long way. As evidenced by the supporters standing ringside in San Antonio, showing also builds empathy, understanding and sportsmanship.

Perhaps just as importantly, showing pigs teaches kids to never give up on their dreams, Yantis adds.

For Coby, watching his sister win one of the biggest barrow shows in the world was indeed a dream come true. More than 3,000 head competed for the champion title this year. Watching his sister win was an incredible honor.

“Samantha is the nicest person you’ll ever meet. She never has a bad day and makes everyone happy,” Berger says. “She reminds me to always see the good in all things.”

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Unpopular County Fair Opinion

Friends Band Together to Support Youth Swine Exhibitors in Texas

Texas “Pig-Posal” Captures Hearts at San Antonio Stock Show

3 Reasons to Invest in the Future of the Pork Industry

Deep-Fried Fantasies: 10 Big Tex Choice Award Finalists Announced for Texas State Fair

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 19:32:43 GMT

Everything’s bigger in Texas. And when it comes to the Texas State Fair, everything’s fried, too.

The State Fair of Texas 2022 has officially announced its 10 Big Tex Choice Awards finalists of 2022, and the list is nothing short of mouth-watering.

Along with the traditional fair food favorites we know and love, many Texas State Fair food vendors have gone above and beyond to create masterful dishes and treats for this year’s event.

Three winners will be announced in areas of the best-tasting sweet and savory dishes and the most creative concession item on Aug. 28, 2022, reports The Dallas Morning News.

Here’s a look at the Top 10 Big Tex Choice Award finalists :

2022 Savory Finalists

• Deep-fried BLT—It’s a traditional BLT made with a bacon and cheese quesadilla! Also, served with Garlic Parmesan chips for a side!

• Chicharron Explosion Nachos—Cajun seasoned pork rinds smothered in queso and chopped beef make for a great meal or a treat to share!

• Deep-fried Lasagna—Italy meets the fryer with this finalist, guaranteed to be a savory favorite!

• Fried charcuterie board—It’s all of the charcuterie board essentials wrapped in a wonton and fried with goat cheese and honey drizzled on top!

• Holy Biscuit—Smoked brisket, street-corn queso, bacon, Texas honey and fried pickles—what’s not to love?

2022 Sweet Finalists

• Cha-Cha Chata—Beat the heat with a milkshake, including cinnamon galletas de gragega, deep-fried bites of arroz con leche and a churro straw!

• Deep-Fried Rocky Road—Served with a scoop of ice cream, rocky road fudge is dipped in a sweet batter, fried and drizzled with chocolate syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Plus, some extra mini marshmallows and cinnamon-glazed nuts finish off the dish.

• La Bluebonnet—Named after the color of the Texas flower, this drink mix of citrus juice, blueberries and sugar are sure to be a hit!

• Peanut Butter Paradise—It’s a candy lover’s dream, including a deep-fried honey bun injected with caramel, topped with peanut butter, Reese’s Pieces, crushed Butterfinger, peanut butter cups, more caramel and powdered sugar.

• The Ultimate Brookie Monster—This takes the original “brookie” to the next level, combining brownies and cookies, along with Oreos, marshmallows and cheesecake—deep fried of course.

Which would you choose first?

Self-eliminating Genes Tested on Mosquitoes

Tue, 03 May 2022 20:03:12 GMT

Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists have tested a technology to make temporary genetic modifications in mosquitoes. The modifications self-delete over time.

The mechanism to make temporary genetic changes could be important for scientists hoping to modify mosquitoes in ways that help manage populations and prevent vector-borne diseases like West Nile virus without permanently altering wild populations’ genetic makeup.

An article detailing their test results, “ Engineering a self-eliminating transgene in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti ,” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ PNAS Nexus. The authors, Zach Adelman , Ph.D., and Kevin Myles , Ph.D., both professors in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology , describe a method for programming the removal of edited genes within populations of mosquitoes over multiple generations.

The method is a first step toward building safeguards for genetic modifications developed to control populations of mosquitoes and the vector-borne diseases they carry. The idea is to test proposed changes without making the changes permanent and without the risk of transmitting them to wild populations, Adelman said.

“There are lots of ecological questions we don’t know the answers to, and when you are testing technology, you don’t want to get into a situation where you have to tell a regulatory agency or the public that ‘if something bad happens, we’re just out of luck,’” Adelman said. “This mechanism is about how we get back to normal whether the experiment does or doesn’t come out the way we expect.”

Adelman and Myles are co-directing a team of scientists who received a five-year, $3.9 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to test and fine-tune the self-eliminating transgene technology.

Back to normal in a few generations

To prevent mosquito-transmitted diseases, approaches based on genetic control of insect populations are being developed, Adelman said. However, many of these strategies are based on highly invasive, self-propagating transgenes that can rapidly spread the trait into other populations of mosquitoes.

Keun Chae, Ph.D., a post-doctoral researcher in Adelman’s group, led the experiments in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are known vectors of diseases. Taking advantage of a form of DNA repair, Chae engineered a duplicated genetic code region along with two genes for fluorescent proteins into the middle of a gene important for eye pigment.

The result was a white-eyed mosquito, and also red and green fluorescence in the eyes and body. When combined with a site-specific nuclease, which is essential for many aspects of DNA repair, they acted as a precise set of molecular scissors that could cut the transgene sequences. Over several generations, mosquitoes regained their normal eye pigment and lost the modified genes.

Adelman said the work is proof of principle that scientists can do two important things – remove transgenes placed in mosquitoes and repair disrupted genes.

“Many groups are developing genetic methods for mosquito population control,” Adelman said. “Our method provides a braking system that can restore sequences in the wild.”

Self-editing transgenes could be leap for genetic research

Myles said creating this self-editing transgene is the first step in a longer process. The mosquito genome is not easy to manipulate, and the breakthrough is the culmination of around six years of experimental work.

But this first publication starts to address concerns about genetic modification in wild populations, he said. As genetic modification technology advances, Adelman and Myles believe this mechanism will allow researchers to evaluate the effects of changes more safely within the environment and on animals other than mosquitoes.

“These are highly conserved genetic pathways, and there is every reason to believe this method could be applied to a diverse range of organisms,” Myles said.

Both scientists are looking forward to expanding the application of their discovery in the context of highly active gene drive. They hope their method will be useful for geneticists and in pushing the boundaries of genetic research.

Champion Steer Sells For $1 Million in Houston

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 15:20:22 GMT

The 90th Anniversary of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be remembered for the $1 million sale of the event’s Grand Champion Junior Market steer.

Sixteen-year-old Aven Horn, Anson, Tex., showed her crossbred steer, Vanilla Ice, to the winner’s circle on Friday, March 18, 2022. On Saturday the pair made history with the $1 million sale at the 2022 Junior Market Steer Auction. The previous record price for a champion steer was $625,000 set in 2019.

The historic purchase was made by Barbara and Don D. Jordan, and family, including Lisa and Chris Cunningham, Leslie and Gary Hazlewood, Laura and Steve McNear.

Don D. Jordan is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Reliant Energy, the Houston-based international diversified energy services company. He is also past president and Chairman of the Board and a current executive committee member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Vanilla Ice was chosen Grand Champion from the field of more than 1,750 steers.

(Farm Journal)

The Reserve Grand Champion steer was shown by Tristan Himes, Sterling City, Tex. His steer was purchased for $675,000 by Robert, Will and Catherine Clay; Andrea and Scott Fish; J Alan Kent Development – Julie and Alan Kent; and Sheri and Rob Walker. That price was also a record, surpassing the previous sale of $367,000 for the Reserve Champion set in 2019.

With the record-breaking steer purchases, Aven will receive $85,000 and Tristan will receive $45,000.

Based upon placing, the Rodeo establishes a guaranteed minimum payment for each exhibitor who qualifies for a junior market auction. The Rodeo also sets a cap amount above the guaranteed minimum for each auction lot. When bidding exceeds the cap amount, the additional funds go into the Rodeo’s Educational Fund to be used for scholarship and grant recipients.

The record-setting buyer, Don D. Jordan, was born the same year the rodeo began.

“The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and I were born in the same year, so we’ve spent a lot of birthdays together,” said Jordan, who will celebrate his 90th birthday in 2022.

Jordan has a longstanding and special history with the Rodeo. In 1986, he was elected to the Executive Committee. In 1987, he purchased the Grand Champion Steer for $75,000. From 1994 to 1996, Jordan served as president, followed by chairman of the board. In 1948, Jordan caught a calf in the calf scramble.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $550 million to the youth of Texas and education.

Heartbreak Amid Cancelled Farm Show: "This Is My Last Year to Show"

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:55:18 GMT

Fears of the coronavirus is causing event cancellations across the country. One of the most high-profile events in farm country affected right now is the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo. It was cancelled this week right in the middle of the show. Some producers had to pack up and leave for home while others didn’t even make the trip.

It’s been a long trip for some families on the road to the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo. It was a 10-hour trek for Jay Johnson of Happy, Texas. His kids, who also traveled with friends, were supposed to show heifers at the show. They unloaded for a couple of hours then had to get back on the road.

“We loaded and headed down to Houston,” says Johnson. “[We had] heifers on the trailer for about 12 hours. We weren’t on the grounds very long when we found out the show had been cancelled.”

Shelby Wachter is on the judging team at the University of Nebraka-Lincoln. Her judging team didn’t even get on the road before the show was cancelled. She says it would have been a good opportunity for the collegiate judgers to compete against other universities.

“While this isn’t my last judging contest in college, I’ll have another semester,” says Wachter. “This is [known to be the show that] ends off the semester before I go into the summer.”

Connor Crownover is a senior from Sunray, Texas. He has been showing pigs for over a decade and has attended all of the major livestock shows and competitions.

“You’re in there feeding them, brushing them and walking them,” says Crownover. “You’re in there [dedicating your time] an hour to two hours per day. This is my last year to show.”

Crownover says he had hopes to do well in Houston.

The show also usually offers financial incentives such as college scholarships to the winners. Some of those financials are awarded to inner-city kids in Texas too.

Picture courtesy: Stephanie Crownover

After 100-Year Drought, Texas Breaks Ground on New Vet School

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:51:39 GMT

Weston Cleveland isn’t a complacent college student on some journey to fulfill a dream. After a couple years into his college stint, he realized his major wasn’t a good fit.

“I was majoring in Animal Science with an emphasis in business, which is a lot of economics classes, there’s a lot of math involved in that,” said Cleveland, who is a senior at Texas Tech, majoring in Animal Science with an emphasis in pre-vet. “It’s not that I’m not good at math, I just don’t enjoy it.”

Cleveland is from East Texas, but ventured to the West Texas to major in animal science. He loved the animal sciences portion, just not the business emphasis, and decided to make a switch.

“I’ve been working at Texas Animal Feeders in South Texas for the past seven years or so, and just being able to sit on horseback everyday riding pins, checking calves, checking cattle, things like that, I enjoyed it,” he said.

Cleveland switched his emphasis to pre-vet, now cramming four years of coursework into two. It’s a switch that’s not uncommon today, as the interest in pre-vet is gaining momentum at Texas Tech.

“The number of pre-veterinary students in the building have more than doubled in the last four years,” said Guy Loneragan, dean of School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University.

That interest sparked a major change, with Texas Tech University accomplishing a feat that was first brought forth 50 years ago. Texas Tech University broke ground on a new School of Veterinary Medicine on Sept. 19 , the first time Texas has broken ground on a new vet school in a century.

“It’s been in the works for five decades,” said Loneragan. “It’s a huge honor, but it’s also an awesome responsibility.”

That responsibility is growing, as Loneragan will be the dean of Texas Tech’s first School of Veterinary Medicine.

“We have a growing demand for veterinarians,” he said. “We have over employment of veterinarians in Texas, and so we’re bringing in the vast majority of our workforce every year to the state. And we need to correct that.”

Loneragan says Texas licenses 500 to 550 veterinarians every year in the state, and the current sole vet school, Texas A&M, only produces 130 graduates each year.

Loneragan says that means the current sole program in the state only meets 25% of the current demand. It’s not just the over-employment situation; there are also more students who aspire to be veterinarians. One of those students is Cleveland.

“Right now, the plan is to apply to Texas A&M and then, for peace of mind, I’m going to apply it to Colorado State, Oklahoma State and University of Florida.”

Cleveland says the issue for him is the cost of out-of-state tuition.

Today, a Texas resident who goes into Texas A&M’s School of Veterinary Medicine will pay $25,000 a year. If a student goes out of state, the cost more than doubles.

The financial strain, along with the growing need for rural veterinarians in Texas, helped Texas Tech build its case to the State Legislature.

“We put our case forward, and we demonstrated the need,” said Loneragan. “The legislature saw that and appropriated the startup funds that we requested, they provided some language that directed us to do what we need to do to start the program. So, we have firmly moved from planning and development into implementation.”

The implementation started this week, as Texas Tech broke ground on the new School of Veterinary Medicine, which will call Amarillo, TX home.

“We are working very hard to welcome the first class in the fall of 2021,” said Loneragan.

A historic moment that can’t come soon enough for impassioned future veterinarians, like Cleveland.

“The second Texas Tech’s application opens, I think I’m going to send it within the first 30 minutes,” said Cleveland.

Cleveland wants to find work in a rural area, which is an area Texas Tech plans to cater its curriculum and training.

“It really is a liberating to understand and know that we can have a much narrower focus being the second program in the state, and our focus is small agricultural and regional communities all across Texas,” said Loneragan.

Having the freedom to adjust its curriculum will allow Texas Tech to rethink the students and programs it attracts.

“The curriculum that we’re designing for the students, and all of the stakeholders that we’re engaging, is a more narrowly focused program from start to finish,” he said.

For Cleveland, taking part in such a historic moment in Texas would be monumental.

“It’d be absolutely groundbreaking to be the very first class,” he said. “We’ve been anticipating this Vet School, we’ve needed this school, and just to know how much change it’s going to bring to west Texas and rural communities, and how much is going to help farmers and ranchers all over, is amazing.”

The new venture could open doors to address a growing need for more veterinarians in the rural landscape across the Lone-Star state.

“I think you can’t even put into words how symbolic it’s going to be,” said Cleveland. “To see how much good it’s going to do. I think that’s priceless. You can’t label it. You can’t kind of anticipate how much success is going to come from it.”

Former FSA Employee Serving 2 Years in Prison for $166,000 Loan Fraud

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:23:58 GMT

A former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) employee in Texas has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after leading a farm loan scheme that defrauded the government of more than $166,000.

Barbara Serna Salinas, 43, a former FSA loan officer in Uvalde, Texas, was sentenced on April 8 to pay $166,744.20 in restitution to USDA. In addition to Serna’s two year jail sentence, she will also serve a supervised release for a period of five years following her discharge from prison. According to the Department of Justice , the sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Alia Moses in Del Rio.

Serna had previously plead guilty to one count of making a false statement on a loan application on June, 28, 2018. In the guilty plea, Serna admitted to issuing multiple fraudulent loans through FSA during a period from May 2011 to June 2016.

Serna was approving loans in exchange for cash or other forms of payment that were made by co-defendants, Ruben James Valadez, 44, of Uvalde, and Eric Torres Neira, 44, of San Antonio. A review of USDA loans approved by Serna after 2011 revealed that several loans were approved to Neira and Valadez that totaled more than $150,000.

Both Neira and Valadez had previously pleaded guilty to the same false statement charge. Neira plead guilty on March 29, 2018, and was later sentenced by Judge Moses on Dec. 4, 2018, to serve five months in prison. Neira also must pay restitution with Serna to USDA totaling $142,961.94. Valadez plead guilty on April 26, 2018, and will appear in court for sentencing October 2, 2019.

Arrests of Serna and Valadez were made on Nov. 8, 2017 , while Neira was arrested the following morning. At the time of the arrest the three had also been charged with wire fraud, but those charges appear to have been dropped. The false statements on loan documents could have resulted in a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.

The investigation was led by USDA’s Office of Inspector General-Investigations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Todd Keagle is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

Texas Community Hires Consultant to Fight Feral Hog Problem

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:38:37 GMT

Residents in The Woodlands Township, located near Houston, Texas, are getting serious about feral hog removal in their neighborhood.

On Wednesday, The Woodlands Township approved the hiring of a special consultant to devise a strategy to reduce the feral hog population, KHOU 11 TV reports.

The consultant will be paid $25,000 to help protect this booming community and the Spring Creek watershed that’s been serving as a “hog highway,” driving the feral pigs into the yards of residents along this path. Residents have even spotted feral hogs when children are standing at bus stops.

This decision comes not long after the death of Christine Rollins , who was killed by feral hogs outside of the home of a couple she provided care for in rural Anahuac, Texas.

John Powers, the assistant general manager for The Woodlands Township, told KHOU that he understands the fear and frustration. It’s a very active community and safety is paramount for residents.

Currently, wildlife recovery businesses are putting out traps along Spring Creek. One of these businesses told KHOU that they put out four feral hog traps in the Spring Creek area in 2019 and caught 171 feral hogs. The Woodlands then pays to send the feral hogs to a processing facility.

On Friday, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack announced he contracted with a professional wildlife removal company in order to trap feral hogs in targeted areas along Spring Creek for the next 90 days, KHOU II reports. The three-month program will cost $14,500.

The wild pig population in Texas ranges between 3 to 5 million pigs. And that’s a conservative estimate , said John Tomecek, assistant professor and wildlife specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in a December 2018 article on PorkBusiness.com. Wildlife experts believe 70 to 75% of the feral hog population must be eradicated each year just to keep up with the pigs’ prolific reproduction rate, KHOU reports.

In December, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension joined with local law enforcement on Wednesday night to shoot and kill wild hogs in Double Bayou Park , a large forested area about 60 miles east of downtown Houston.

Read more about the feral hog problem:

Wild Pig Attack Spurs Population Control Initiative in Texas

Feral Hogs Attack and Kill Texas Woman

Deadly Terrorist Threatens the Lone Star State’s Domestic Pig Herd

Hunters Support Restrictions on Feral Swine Movement

USDA Unveils Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program

Mark Twain Forest Shuts Down Feral Swine Hunting

Feral Swine: USDA Monitors World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species

Deadly Terrorist Threatens the Lone Star State’s Domestic Pig Herd

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 19:33:26 GMT

One of the deadliest enemies in Texas – the wild pig – is sparking fear as threats of African swine fever (ASF) hitting U.S. soil dance across the headlines.

“Wild pigs are agricultural and environmental terrorists number one,” says John Tomecek, assistant professor and wildlife specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. “They destroy the environment and carry diseases that can spread to humans and domestic pig herds.”

There’s no doubt that an outbreak of African swine fever in Texas would be devastating, he says.

“With the densities of wild pigs we have, I expect the virus to travel quickly,” Tomecek says, based on conversations with his colleagues overseas who are dealing with ASF on a daily basis.

“Our problems have different origins,” he says. “Their wild boars are native. In the U.S., most of our wild pigs today were originally brought in by the Spanish and early settlers in the 1500s who free ranged them. When these wild boars mated with domestic pigs, they created the wild pigs we have today. Some people may refer to them as feral, but feral actually means wild pigs that were once domesticated and the wild pigs in Texas haven’t been domesticated for several generations.”

The numbers have grown since then for a lot of reasons. Most recently, it’s because people brought them here for hunting purposes, Tomecek says.

The wild pig population in Texas ranges between 3 to 5 million pigs. Tomecek says that’s a conservative estimate based on a very large and widely distributed wild pig herd that is increasing rapidly throughout the state’s diverse regions.

“If a foreign animal disease, such as ASF, were to enter the U.S. (the U.S. does not have ASF at this time), wild or feral pigs could play a big part in its spread to domestic swine,” says Brandon Gunn, executive vice president of the Texas Pork Producers Association.

In Texas alone, wild pigs can be found in approximately 90% of the counties in the state. If ASF were to become prevalent in the wild pig population, the disease would be extremely difficult to eradicate. Outside of several large pork production farms in the panhandle, there are hundreds of small farms and show pig operations located across the state. That is where substantial risk lies, Gunn says.

A Threat to Agriculture
The impact of the wild pig herd on Texas agriculture is widespread. From a livestock standpoint, wild pigs are a major predator of sheep and goats. But when it comes to the state’s livestock herd, Tomecek worries most about wild pigs spreading disease.

“We know pigs can vector 21 some odd diseases we are aware of – communicable to all livestock animals,” he says. “If I’m a livestock producer, I have to worry about biosecurity all the time. Producers have to vaccinate for diseases they would not normally have to vaccinate for because of this wild pig problem.”

Gunn says there is great potential for introduction of these diseases into herds considering the number of small farms all over the state that don’t have the resources to house their animals inside well-protected, completely enclosed modern barns.

“Research has shown that up to 70% of the feral hog population would have to be removed each year just to prevent population growth,” Gunn says. “As the population continues to grow exponentially, the concerns only increase as well.”

Some farmers have quit producing grains and now produce cotton because wild pigs won’t eat it, Tomecek says. Wild pigs eat seed corn at night, destroying fields. The damages to small grain operations in Texas is so high that many are having a hard time staying in farming because of it.

“From a food security standpoint, that reduces the total number of food America is producing when that land starts being used for non-food production,” he says.

In addition, hay producers fight wild pig damage, too. Tomecek says farmers must think long and hard about what a hay field is truly worth when they have to fight off wild pigs.

“Imagine you are a hay farmer and you cut hay close to the ground, rake it and bale it. If pigs root around, you may not be able to see it, but I can assure you when you drive an implement straight into the ground because you can’t see the divets, it can cause thousands of dollars of damage to implements,” he says.

Being from Texas, Tomecek always considers what could happen if Texas has a dry year.

“Hay may not be there to feed my livestock if we lose acres of hay production to wild pigs,” he says.

An Enemy to the Environment
“We work hard in Texas to manage wildlife – it’s big business for landowners,” Tomecek says. “Wild pigs are the fly in the ointment and get in the way of the good conservation work we do.”

When it comes to the environment, wild pigs take a toll on wildlife, soil, water and plants. The native tree population is declining because of wild pigs damaging trees and destroying saplings.

“They actively predate and kill most of our game and many non-game animals. Many species are becoming endangered because of wild pigs,” he says. “We have a lot of moving water in Texas and the pigs cause problems by turning up creek bottoms, taking up vegetation, causing erosion and sedimentation – basically the pigs are going against everything our producers work hard not to let happen to the land.”

As well, the damage to water is a major problem. Wild pigs harbor E.coli and can infect watersheds.

“We’ve had areas in our state where the water has been so contaminated with E.coli from pigs that the EPA came in and designated them as impaired watersheds,” Tomecek says. “This means that you can’t use the water at all – you can’t recreate in it, touch it, drink it, because it’s unsafe for humans to be exposed.”

A Detriment to Communities
This challenge to provide safe, clean water because of contaminated watersheds is one more reason why wild pig control is so critical in Texas.

In addition to human health risks, wild pigs can have direct impacts on communities and small towns as more wild pigs enter into urban spaces, impacting turf, homeowner’s lawns, and even golf courses and sports fields.

“It’s very expensive and frustrating to lose money out of our communities because of wild pigs causing damage to property,” he says.

Wild Pig Eradication and Disposal
The most common method of wild pig control in Texas is shooting on the ground with a rifle or shooting from a helicopter, Tomecek says. They also use snares or box-style traps to keep wild pigs out of fields or away from livestock.

Another form of wild pig management is running trained dogs. “We use dog packs to run the pigs,” he says. “That action is a negative stimulus to a pig – it’s not a safe area for pigs when dogs are around. This helps get them out of that area for a while.”

New chemical control techniques are in the works and being proposed for EPA registration. Tomecek says he is hopeful they will approve a poison or toxicin to assist in wild pig control.

When dealing with wild pig carcasses, he says the best management practice is to bury or burn the pig carcasses. However, most people don’t and leave them on the landscape for scavengers to consume.

“If ASF hit, we’d have to educate people on how and why we need to incinerate carcasses safely,” he says. “In Texas, we have a lot of good outreach materials about how to incinerate pigs safely. We are part of the endemic zone of anthrax. It occurs natively in part of our state and the proper method of disposal of anthrax carcasses is incineration. We are used to that, we know how to do that. This is just another disease we have to educate folks about.”

Challenges Remain
Can Texas control the wild pig population with the resources they have now?

“Absolutely not,” Gunn says. “We need help. We need more resources, access to more effective baits, and we need the government to provide more funding and support in the fight against feral hogs.”
With a number of constituent groups that are passionate about pig hunting in Texas, Tomecek says wild pigs are a challenge that he doesn’t think will go away. One of the biggest misconceptions he deals with is people believing wild pigs are native wildlife in Texas.

“That took me aback at first,” he says. “But consider who you are talking to. Many of these people grew up in urban environments and are passionate about being on the land. And that’s wonderful, but they don’t know what is native or not. Unless we tell them these wild pigs aren’t from here, they won’t know otherwise.”

Texas has one of the unfortunate distinctions of having the worst and oldest wild pig problem in the U.S. In Tomecek’s travels throughout the country and around the world, he urges people to find where their wild pig problem fits into Texas’ timeline.

“Think about what we did and whether it worked or not and try to avoid the problems we have created for ourselves,” he says. “Wild pig outbreaks start small and are pretty limited. This is when you are in the best spot to eradicate the population and get rid of the problem.”

Photos provided by Texas Pork Producers Association

Up & Coming Leaders: Meet Edgar Aviles-Rosa

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:07:39 GMT

Meet Texas Tech University’s Edgar Aviles-Rosa, an up and coming voice of the pork industry who’s passionate about swine welfare and making a difference in the industry.

Age: 28
Hometown: Aguada, Puerto Rico
Education: BS and MS in animal science, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez; currently pursuing Ph.D. at Texas Tech University

Q. What is your background in the swine industry?
A.I grew up in a small town located along the west cost of Puerto Rico. Originally, I started working with beef cattle while I was a student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. During my last semester as an undergraduate student, I took an environmental physiology course which was taught by a swine specialist. In the class, we often discussed heat stress in pigs and how to help pigs cope with it. After studying the industry and its problems, I decided to continue my carrier trying to improve swine welfare. It was thanks to that class, that I uncovered my passion for pig production and welfare, specifically in tropical climates.

Q. Tell us about your internship experiences.
A. In order to get your bachelor’s degree in animal science in Puerto Rico, you must do a summer practicum with a producer. This is intended to help you get to know the industry and people within it. However, instead of teaching me about the industry, the producer I was assigned to made me fix pens with block and cement. Although I did not learn about pigs during my summer practice, I did learn a lot about construction.

Q. Did you take part in undergraduate research?
A. I never did research as an undergraduate student, but it would have been a great opportunity.

Q. What other learning opportunities have you been involved in?
A. My earliest memories of working with pigs took place when I was about 5 years old. I remember going with my grandma to feed leftovers to the family pig. In Puerto Rico, it was common to have a family pig and raise it for a special occasion. I remember my grandma’s pig corral under a tree and that every day she fed him with the leftovers. Now looking back, I realize that I was around pigs to some degree most of my life.

Q. Tell us about your current research.
A. My current research is on swine welfare and behavior under Dr. John McGlone at Texas Tech. The main purpose of my doctoral research is the identification and characterization of a natural sow maternal semiochemical that could be used to reduce stress and aggression in weaning piglets. Piglets have an extraordinary sense of smell and it could be that one of the reasons for weaning stress is the absence of maternal or familiar odors in the weaning environment. Thus, the use of maternal semiochemicals could be a novel way to improve piglet welfare at weaning. Pig semiochemicals can be a natural way to improve production. My future career goals are to study how the current changes in housing systems improve animal welfare by studying pig behavior and production in a non-anthropomorphic way. In addition, I would like to find novel ways to reduce stress and aggression in wean piglets and sows.

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