COMMISSIONER SID MILLER LAUNCHES POWERFUL TOOL AGAINST NEW WORLD SCREWWORM (8/8/2025)

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) continues to lead the fight against the threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS) by developing a state-of-the-art attractant to be used in tracking screwworm fly movement and proactively eliminating them where they are located.

"When it comes to safeguarding Texas' $15 billion cattle industry, we need to focus on action rather than words. That's why I instructed my Biosecurity team to develop an effective screwworm lure," said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. "This new attractant, named TDA Swormlure, marks a serious upgrade in our efforts to protect Texas livestock from the threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS), now roughly 370 miles south of Texas," Commissioner Miller added. 

Miller said that other tools like the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), which was used in fighting against the screwworm threat from the 1930s to the 1970s, will still play an important role, but it’s no longer enough. Miller said that relying only on sterile flies is outdated and that new and improved approaches are required. He said TDA Swormlure marks a new chapter in prevention, supported by science, intended for widespread use, and created with smarter tools and a stronger defense.

TDA Swormlure features a sophisticated chemical blend that is enclosed in a proprietary polymer and has an easy-to-use delivery system. It is currently being tested in Panama, a screwworm hot zone, through a partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Commissioner Miller said early feedback has been encouraging, and the traps are expected to outperform anything else available.

Commissioner Miller said that the Texas Department of Agriculture is not stopping with just TDA Swormlure. "We’re collaborating with the USDA, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and industry leaders to develop a comprehensive set of tools to directly combat the screwworm," Miller added.

These tools include:

1. A TDA Swormlure fly trap that will kill up to 90% of flies on contact. 
2. A new Ivermectin feed additive for livestock and deer populations. 
3. A cattle vaccine, currently in development, that kills screwworm larvae. 

Miller said that the TDA is leading the way because we understand what’s at stake. "Texas ranchers deserve better than outdated practices and bureaucratic complacency. We’re taking real action with effective solutions to stop NWS in its tracks. This is Texas innovation in action, and it’s exactly what our agricultural industry needs.”