Commissioner Sid Miller Responds to New Screwworm Detections, Demands Immediate Deployment of SWASS (6/8/2026)

AUSTIN — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today responded to three new New World screwworm (NWS) detections, including in Gillespie and Andrews Counties (in Central and West Texas) as well as the first confirmed case in New Mexico, warning that the pest's continued march into Texas demands immediate action from federal officials.

"We’ve seen detections in four counties and two states. This should set off alarm bells across the country. Every day we delay gives this pest another opportunity to spread," Miller said.

Commissioner Miller renewed his call for USDA to immediately deploy the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), a proven USDA-developed program that uses targeted bait to kill fertile adult screwworm flies before they can reproduce.

"For over a year, I've been pushing USDA to bring SWASS back into the fight," Miller said. "I've personally placed the research and bait formula in Secretary Rollins' hands three separate times because we know this tool works. SWASS helped eradicate screwworm from the United States once before, and it can help stop this outbreak before it reaches even deeper into Texas."

Miller stressed that sterile fly releases remain critical but argued that sterile flies and SWASS are most effective when used together.

“It is important to note that neither I nor the Texas Department of Agriculture have advocated for the use of Dichlorvos in SWASS. While that insecticide worked well to eradicate the New World Screwworm from Texas in the 1970s, it has since been determined to be a carcinogen. Nevertheless, there are alternative insecticides available for SWASS which have been determined can be used to safely combat the screwworm as part as SWASS strategy. The cost of prevention is measured in millions. The cost of an outbreak in Texas would be measured in billions. The science is settled. The tools are available. What's missing is urgency from the USDA,” Miller added.

Miller concluded, "You don't win this battle with one tool, you kill fertile flies with SWASS while overwhelming the remaining population with sterile flies. That's how we built the biological barrier that protected American agriculture for decades. That's the strategy we should be using today."

USDA, the Texas Animal Health Commission, and their state and federal partners have launched extensive surveillance, trapping, testing, and epidemiological investigations in response to the recent detections. Miller praised those efforts but cautioned that time is not on America's side.

"Every new detection is a warning," Miller said. "We have a narrow window to stop this pest before it gains a stronger foothold in the United States. Washington needs to move faster, deploy every proven tool available, and put SWASS back where it belongs—on the front lines of this fight."

Commissioner Miller reiterated his call on the Trump Administration to immediately:

• Authorize and fund a comprehensive SWASS deployment program across Texas, the U.S.-Mexico border region, and other high-risk areas.

• Establish a joint U.S.-Mexico task force to coordinate aerial and ground suppression efforts on both sides of the border.

• Rapidly scale up SWASS pellet production and distribution using modern formulations and existing manufacturing capacity.

• Expand surveillance, trapping, inspections, and rapid-response teams to ensure every suspected case is detected and treated immediately.

• Continue aggressive expansion of sterile fly production facilities while simultaneously deploying SWASS as a bridge strategy rather than waiting years for new facilities to come online.

• Declare New World Screwworm a national agricultural emergency and marshal every available federal resource toward eradication.

According to USDA, a dog initially reported in Andrews County, Texas, was determined to reside in Lea County, New Mexico, making it the first confirmed New World screwworm case in that state. Federal officials are also investigating additional cases, including confirmed infestation in a goat in Gillespie County, Texas.

New World screwworm is one of the most destructive livestock pests in history. Its larvae feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, causing severe injury, suffering, and often death if left untreated. An outbreak in Texas would threaten livestock, wildlife, pets, and billions of dollars in agricultural production.

Texas producers and pet owners are encouraged to immediately report suspicious wounds or signs of screwworm infestation to their veterinarian, the Texas Animal Health Commission, USDA officials, or the Texas Department of Agriculture at 800-TELL-TDA.

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