Flesh‑Eating Flies Hit Texas?

Flesh-eating screwworms are back in Texas, and the fight over Washington’s response is already heating up.

Quick Take

USDA confirmed a New World screwworm case in a Texas calf and set a 20-kilometer control zone^[1]^[2].
The agency says the risk to people is very low and the U.S. food supply remains safe^[2]^[3].
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller says the federal response was too slow and not strong enough^[1].
USDA has moved quickly on quarantines, surveillance, and sterile fly releases to stop spread^[2]^[3]^[5].

Federal Response Under Pressure

USDA confirmed the first Texas livestock case after decades without a U.S. animal detection, and officials quickly set up quarantines, movement controls, and surveillance around the site^[1]^[2]. The agency says its personnel are already on the ground in South Texas, and it is increasing sterile fly releases as part of the containment plan^[2]^[5].

That response has not quieted critics. Sid Miller said Washington moved too slowly and relied on a partial fix that will take too long to matter^[1]. His warning reflects a basic fear among ranchers: once a parasite like this crosses the line, every day of delay can raise the risk to cattle, goats, and wildlife.

Why Ranchers Are Alarmed

The New World screwworm is not a normal pest. It lays eggs in wounds, and the larvae feed on living tissue, which makes early detection and fast treatment critical^[2]^[7]. USDA says the risk to people in the United States remains very low, and it also says this is not a food safety issue^[2]^[3]. Even so, the threat to livestock is real and can spread fast if control breaks down.

That is why the sterile fly program matters so much. USDA says sterile fly production and dispersal are central to eradication, and it is investing in new and existing facilities to expand capacity^[3]^[5]^[13]. The agency also announced a new sterile fly production facility in Texas, with the goal of strengthening the domestic barrier and reducing dependence on emergency response after each new detection^[11]^[12].

What USDA Is Doing Now

USDA’s current plan combines ground response with border defense. The agency has expanded trapping, testing, and animal checks, and reports that border-region traps and wildlife inspections have not shown screwworm inside the United States beyond the confirmed case^[10]. It also moved sterile fly dispersal closer to the border and opened a dispersal site in Mexico to reinforce the barrier before the pest moves farther north^[7]^[13].

Four cases of New World screwworm have now been confirmed in the southern United States, with detections coming within days of each other. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says the agency was not caught off guard.

The US has committed $750 million to build a sterile fly breeding… pic.twitter.com/ocwCGsYPBi

— The HighWire (@HighWireTalk) June 19, 2026

The bigger question is whether this is enough if more cases appear. USDA says the sterile fly strategy has worked before and remains the best tool available^[5]^[16]. But the same research package also shows why critics keep pressing for more speed, more capacity, and more certainty: livestock disease response is often judged in real time, while the full outcome may not be known for weeks or months^[17]^[20].

What Comes Next for Producers

For ranchers, the practical message is simple: watch animals closely, treat wounds fast, and report anything suspicious at once^[5]^[7]. Federal and state officials are urging livestock owners to follow movement rules and work with veterinarians so the outbreak does not gain a foothold. If the current containment effort holds, the case may stay isolated. If it fails, the cost to producers could grow quickly.