August 1, 2025 – (WACO, Texas)—A joint letter today to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed by Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) and more than 175 other leading state and national livestock, dairy, wildlife, agribusiness and landowner organizations across the country expresses strong support for USDA’s leadership and calls for immediate federal action to strengthen the nation’s defenses against the growing threat of the New World screwworm (NWS).
The coalition commends Rollins and the USDA team for their proactive efforts, including the recent announcement of a five-pronged NWS Domestic Readiness and Response Initiative and the establishment of a sterile fly dispersal facility in partnership with the Panama-U.S. Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm.
The letter urges the Trump administration to fully fund and begin construction of a domestic sterile fly production facility, an essential component of the proven Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) strategy. Without it, the coalition said, the U.S. remains vulnerable to a potential outbreak that could devastate agriculture and wildlife.
“We cannot afford to wait. The New World screwworm is advancing, and the consequences of inaction are staggering,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Secretary Rollins and her team have laid a strong foundation, and now we must build on it. A domestic sterile fly production facility is not just a strategic priority. It’s an emergency necessity. Our coalition is united, and we are ready to support USDA in taking this critical next step to protect our livestock, wildlife and rural economies.”
According to USDA estimates, an NWS outbreak in Texas cattle alone could result in $1.8 billion in annual losses, with national economic damages exceeding $10.6 billion. The threat spans livestock, wildlife, endangered species and the rural communities that depend on them.
The coalition says it is united, it is prepared, and its members are committed to working alongside USDA to ensure the nation is ready to meet this challenge.
