The New World screwworm is spreading through Texas, and the cattle industry is watching with growing alarm. The parasite — which burrows into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals — threatens both livestock and wildlife across the state.
Containment depends heavily on ranchers reporting infested animals and cooperating with control programs. That’s the problem. Many ranchers are deeply skeptical of government intervention, and that distrust is slowing the coordinated response needed to stop the spread.
No treatment program works without access to the land and the animals on it. If ranchers won’t call it in or won’t let inspectors through, the parasite moves. It’s that simple.
The screwworm was eradicated from the United States decades ago through a sustained sterile-insect release program — male flies rendered infertile were dropped by aircraft across affected areas, collapsing breeding populations over time. Its return raises the prospect of repeating that expensive, years-long effort. Whether federal agriculture agencies have the cooperation needed to mount one is, right now, an open question.
