Baker 3 Ranch

06/14/2026

A free New World screwworm inspector training is now available to all Texans through AgriLife Learn.

The course covers New World screwworm biology, inspection protocols, reporting and more, and is open to anyone who wants to better understand how to protect their animals. Those who qualify may apply to become a certified New World screwworm inspector through the Texas Animal Health Commission.

Learn about the course at tx.ag/NWSTraining.

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

New World Screwworm Update-

We’re going to try and simplify this…

Unless you are in the yellow zone, you can move livestock as you wish.

Visit https://tahc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=fc8902674b004a778f44e3fe219c255f for updated maps

If you are traveling with livestock from outside the yellow(infested zone), you may drive through without any paperwork. You will have to tell the checkpoints where you are coming from and where you are going. You can’t not stop in an infested zone for more than a couple hours.

You may take livestock into a yellow zone without paperwork. But they will then be classified the same as the cattle in the yellow zone (infested area).

When you want to take livestock out of the yellow (infested zone)- you will need call Texas Animal Health for an inspection.

(737) 292-9983

They will perform a visual inspection. The cattle must then be treated with Dectomax injectable or Exholt Pour on. Also given an EID Tag. They will then give you a permit to move that livestock 72 hours later. You then have 48 hours after the 72 hours to move them. If you do not get that done, you will need a re inspection(not another treatment if you are within the drug’s efficacy).

If you are sending cows or bulls to market or slaughter, they will perform a visual inspection and release them to those destinations. You will not be required to treat these animals. These animals typically are going to slaughter and there is no medication they can have that won’t have a withdrawal to harvest.

If they do not sell to slaughter- the market will require an inspection by TAHC and a treatment given to them. They can then be released to their destination.

You can move cattle within the yellow (infested zone) without Inspections or treatments. BUT is highly recommended to let them inspect your cattle and verify there are no infected cattle.

Horses- will need to inspected and sprayed by TAHC if leaving an infested zone. If you are going in and out (day working, going to rodeos, etc) they are relying a little more of an honor system. They are trusting you are watching your horses and inspecting regularly. Do not move any horses if there’s any question, call TAHC to inspect them! Lots of vague variables on horses, there’s not many treatment options at this time.

The Blue Additional Surveillance Zone- They request you schedule an inspection on those movements out to help with containment. This area is not restricted and you do not have to treat to come out. Also you won’t need EID tags to move these cattle.

Remember, these are movement restrictions, NOT a quarantine! We can still move livestock and continue business, just need to follow a few protocols!

06/10/2026

06/09/2026

🚨 NEW WORLD SCREWWORM (NWS): WHAT PET & LIVESTOCK OWNERS NEED TO KNOW

Recent cases of New World Screwworm (NWS) have increased concerns across Texas and the southern United States. New World Screwworm is caused by the larvae (maggots) of the screwworm fly. Unlike typical maggots that feed on dead tissue, screwworm larvae invade and feed on living tissue, causing painful wounds, severe infections, tissue destruction, and potentially death if left untreated.

What should you watch for?

• Open wounds that fail to heal
• Bloody or foul-smelling discharge
• Excessive licking, chewing, or irritation around a wound
• Visible maggots within a wound
• Depression, decreased appetite, or weight loss

Daily Surveillance & Monitoring is key to early intervention!

Producers should routinely inspect:

• Surgical sites (castrations, dehorning, branding)
• Ear tag sites
• Navel areas of newborn calves, lambs, and kids
• Sheath, v***a, and other natural body openings
• Tick bites and wounds from fences, predators, or fighting
• Any draining, enlarging, or foul-smelling wounds

Prompt Wound Management, treatment of navels at birth, and treatment of wounds daily is necessary to aid in the prevention of an infection. The female screwworm fly is attracted to open wounds and lays eggs along the wound edges. Proper wound care is one of the most important prevention measures.

Recommendations:

• Treat wounds immediately
• Monitor healing closely
• Utilize fly control measures
• Avoid unnecessary procedures during periods of high fly activity when possible
• Check newborn animals frequently during the first weeks of life

Prevention & Treatment Options Available at GVVC:

We offer several products that may help reduce risk and support treatment protocols when appropriate, give us a call if you have any concerns or questions:

🐄 Dectomax® (Doramectin) — FDA conditionally approved for prevention and treatment of New World Screwworm infestations in cattle and prevention of reinfestation for up to 21 days.

🩹 Permethrin Spray — Can be used as part of a fly-control program to reduce fly pressure around animals and wounds.

🐶 Credelio Quattro® – Helps provide broad-spectrum parasite protection and has been authorized for treatment of New World Screwworm infestations in dogs.

🐶 Credelio® – Monthly flea and tick protection and authorized for treatment of New World Screwworm infestations in dogs.

🐱 Credelio CAT® – Monthly flea and tick protection and authorized for treatment of New World Screwworm infestations in cats.

If you notice a wound containing maggots or suspect a screwworm infestation:

• Contact your veterinarian immediately.
• Take photos if possible.
• Do not move affected livestock until veterinary guidance is obtained.
• Early diagnosis and treatment greatly improve outcomes.

We are closely monitoring the New World Screwworm situation and are committed to helping protect the health of your pets and livestock. We are working closely with the Texas Animal Health Commission and other animal health officials as this situation continues to evolve. We will keep our clients and community informed with the latest recommendations, updates, and prevention strategies as new information becomes available.

If you have concerns about a wound or would like to discuss prevention options, give us a call. Early intervention is crucial.

Office: (830) 672- 8676

06/07/2026

𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐦: 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐲
— 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮.

I think one of the biggest misunderstandings with New World Screwworm right now is that people assume this is only a cattle producer problem. It’s not.

Yes, ranchers and livestock producers will feel the impact first. We’re talking cattle health, treatment costs, labor, animal welfare, and time spent doctoring stock. But if this moves further into the United States, this reaches far beyond the ranch gate.

If you own horses, hunting dogs, working dogs, or pets that spend time outdoors and occasionally come home with cuts, wounds, hot spots, or surgical sites, this should matter to you too. Wildlife can be affected. Hunters and outdoorsmen should be paying attention. And if you eat beef? You have skin in the game too, because animal health issues eventually impact supply, cost of production, and food prices.

So I’ve had a lot of folks asking: “Who exactly should we be contacting?”

Here’s where I think pressure needs to go, and why.

1. Your U.S. Congressman (House Representative)
Why: Congress controls funding and oversight, and representatives tend to respond quickly to constituent concerns. If people want stronger preparedness, inspections, surveillance, education, and faster action, this is a good place to start.

2. Your U.S. Senators
Why: Senators play a major role in agricultural appropriations, USDA oversight, and emergency response planning. If this becomes a larger national livestock issue, they’ll be involved in shaping response.

3. USDA & APHIS
Why: These are the agencies directly responsible for surveillance, eradication efforts, preparedness, and public guidance. Producers and pet owners alike deserve clear communication and realistic plans.

4. Your State Department of Agriculture & State Veterinarian
Why: State-level response matters more than most folks realize. These offices are often the first line for education, reporting procedures, veterinary guidance, and local preparedness.

5. Livestock Organizations, Farm Bureau, Hunting Groups & Outdoor Organizations
Why: One voice matters. Thousands of organized voices matter more. These organizations can push concerns directly to policymakers and agencies.

The biggest thing I’d encourage people to do is be specific. Don’t just say, “Somebody needs to do something.” Ask direct questions.

• What is the preparedness plan if cases move closer?
• Are veterinarians receiving updated treatment guidance?
• Is surveillance and trapping being expanded?
• What support exists for producers without working facilities?
• How are pets, horses, hunting dogs, and wildlife being factored into planning?
• What education is being provided to producers, veterinarians, and pet owners?
• Is there a plan to help limit economic impact to cattle producers and consumers?

The reality is this: the earlier we ask informed questions, the better prepared we’ll be if this ever becomes more than a border problem.

Because whether you’re a cattleman, a hunter, a dog owner, a horse owner, somebody who enjoys the outdoors, or simply somebody who buys beef at the grocery store, this has the potential to affect all of us.

💭 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂

Who do you think should be taking the lead on New World Screwworm preparedness right now?

— 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐌 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐨.
𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦.

𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨

U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). New World Screwworm Response and Preparedness Resources. Washington, DC: USDA, accessed June 5, 2026.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. New World Screwworm Producer and Veterinary Education Resources. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University System, accessed June 5, 2026.

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). New World Screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax): Technical Disease Information. Paris: WOAH, accessed June 5, 2026.

06/07/2026

We have refrained from making a public statement about the recent NWS, we felt there wasn’t any need to instill panic, the media will do that for us. The truth is that it’s here and we are more concerned with why. How has our government officials allowed this to happen? So I wrote my honest and transparent thoughts in an open letter to the officials of the previous and current United States Administration it reads as followed:

I am writing to express my profound frustration regarding the recent breach of the biological containment barrier and the subsequent resurgence of the New World screwworm in South Texas. While our current emergency response relies on dropping sterile flies and enforcing strict quarantine zones, we must address the root cause of this agricultural disaster: a severe failure of government oversight and operational continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic. For decades, the Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG) served as a flawless firewall. The Sterile Insect Technique successfully kept this devastating, flesh-eating parasite contained at the Darién Gap. However, the government’s response to the pandemic exposed a critical lack of operational adaptability, allowing this hard-won biological barrier to collapse. During the pandemic, the systematic scale-back of essential services demonstrated a failure to prioritize transboundary biosecurity. Regulatory personnel were stretched thin, and vital field inspections were heavily reduced. This lack of active surveillance created a blind spot that allowed early wild outbreaks to multiply completely undetected. Furthermore, strict lockdowns and a failure to secure supply chains severely disrupted the production capacity at the COPEG facility in Panama, dropping weekly sterile fly numbers below the thresholds required to suppress the wild population.
This operational gap allowed illegal livestock smuggling networks to expand unchecked through Central America. Because border checkpoints and agricultural tracking were minimized under the guise of pandemic restrictions, infested cattle became a high-speed transit system for the parasite, moving it hundreds of miles north in a matter of days.
The current reality—an $850 million emergency response, a total ban on Mexican cattle imports, and $5,000-a-day fines levied against our own ranchers—is the direct price of that past administrative negligence. Technology is only as effective as the infrastructure supporting it, and the suspension of aggressive field surveillance during the pandemic proved to be a critical error in judgment.
As taxpayers and livestock producers bear the financial and operational weight of this crisis, we demand an assurance that future biosecurity protocols will be insulated from administrative shutdowns. Our agricultural supply chains cannot afford another failure of official vigilance.

Sincerely,

Traci Hardin
Graham Livestock

UPDATE: in response to Doge cutting funding in early 2025. The short answer is yes. I am not to naïve to admit that is absolutely true. But here’s the breakdown.

 Yes, the primary sterile fly facility was facing notable financial and operational strain long before the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) made its cuts.

The Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG) facility in Panama—which serves as the international biological barrier—struggled with severe multi-year vulnerabilities:

* Aging Infrastructure: According to a Congressional Research Service report, a USDA APHIS improvement plan explicitly designated the Panama fly-rearing plant as one of its top three "highest priority facilities in need of repair" due to outdated equipment and rising operational overhead.

* Pandemic Supply-Chain Snarls: The facility experienced deep financial and operational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused supply-chain backlogs at the factory and halted routine livestock inspections.

* Surging Operational Demands: As the parasite began pushing north through Central America, the factory faced immense pressure to spike production. This required massive cash injections to stay afloat, including the USDA scrambling to allocate $109.8 million in emergency funds in 2023 and an additional $165 million in 2024 to support response activities.

While the program was already expensive and struggling to maintain its aging infrastructure, critics point out that the DOGE cuts eliminated what remained of a vital, preventative "insurance policy" just as the system was at its weakest.

The re-emergence of the New World screwworm in the United States reflects a multi-year, bipartisan failure of biosecurity oversight across both the previous and current administrations. Despite decades of successful eradication, a lack of proactive, long-term containment strategies allowed this devastating flesh-eating parasite to slowly breach containment lines and re-enter domestic borders.
Below is an overview of how systemic failures across both federal administrations contributed to the current agricultural crisis.

Systemic Failures of the Previous Administration
* Failure to Contain the Initial Surge: The initial breakdown of the biological barrier began years ago during the previous administration. Despite noticeable population spikes in South America, federal biosecurity agencies failed to appropriately scale up cross-border interventions.
* Disruption of Sterile Fly Facilities: Critical operational oversights and pandemic-era resource disruptions led to a severe drop in the quality and quantity of the sterile insect technique (SIT). The strain of sterile male flies being produced was uncompetitive, causing the biological containment wall at the Panama-Colombia border to collapse.
* Inadequate Early Surveillance: Monitoring along the Darién Gap and Central American transit corridors was significantly weakened, ignoring early warnings that unchecked wildlife and animal migration were carrying the parasite northward.

Systemic Failures of the Current Administration
* Delayed Response to the Border Incursion: Although the parasite was documented rapidly moving through Mexico in late 2024, the current administration leaned heavily on existing, outdated containment playbooks rather than deploying aggressive, immediate countermeasures.
* Domestic Production Shortfalls: Despite urgent alarms raised by state agriculture commissioners and livestock associations, the administration failed to fast-track domestic sterile fly production. The U.S. remains dependent on a single facility in Panama, facing a critical deficit of hundreds of millions of sterile flies needed weekly to suppress the current outbreak.
* Flawed Border and Regulatory Policies: Belated border closures for livestock proved insufficient to stop the flying parasite, punishing local ranchers economically while failing to intercept the pest. Furthermore, the administration was unable to successfully resolve administrative, customs, and diplomatic friction with Mexican authorities, which repeatedly grounded critical sterile-fly drop missions.

With that being said an open letter to the American Rancher

Dear American Rancher you embody resilience, standing as an enduring symbol of grit and determination in the face of relentless adversity. For generations, your stewardship of the land has confronted countless setbacks—from devastating droughts, floods, and unpredictable climate extremes to economic depressions, market volatility, and shifting global trade dynamics. Yet, through every ruined harvest and financial hardship, you have adapted, innovated, and overcome. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, evolving sustainable practices, and relying on an unbreakable community spirit, you the American Rancher continues to rise with the dawn, turning trials into triumphs to feed, clothe, and fuel both the nation and the world. For that we thank you.

Listed below are the links where all informational sources were pulled from.

https://www.avma.org/news/mexico-screwworm-case-triggers-us-emergency-response

https://theweek.com/health/new-world-screwworm-parasite-comeback-danger-to-the-united-states

https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-05-15/screwworm-parasite-american-cattle-threat

https://theweek.com/health/new-world-screwworm-parasite-comeback-danger-to-the-united-states

https://latinamericanpost.com/americas/panama-battles-screwworm-surge-as-flesh-eating-fly-creeps-back-into-the-americas/

https://www.newsweek.com/screwworm-immigration-darien-gap-2088609

https://cals.ncsu.edu/news/what-to-know-about-the-new-world-screwworm/

https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/1n09e7u/how_can_new_world_screwworms_reemerge_in_humans/

https://www.theinvadingsea.com/2026/04/16/new-world-screwworm-mexico-border-sterile-insect-technique-florida-keys-deer-climate-change/

https://asm.org/articles/2025/september/new-word-screwworm-rise-fall-resurgence

https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/IN/PDF/IN12558/IN12558.1.pdf

https://www.pitchstonewaters.com/the-man-eater-screwworm-is-coming-

https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/06/04/screwworm-in-texas-cattle-could-drive-up-beef-prices-after-doge-axed-prevention-efforts/

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/cattle/ticks/