Rep. Ronny Jackson Releases Statement on Domestic Detection of New World Screwworm

WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) issued the following statement in response to the detection of New World screwworm in Texas:

"Yesterday, Secretary Rollins and her team at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed the first case of New World screwworm in the United States," said Rep. Jackson. "The Trump administration has been preparing for this moment for nearly two years and have successfully delayed its arrival longer than many experts thought possible. An outbreak in Texas is estimated to cost our economy nearly two billion dollars in losses, which reinforces why we have consistently pushed for aggressive surveillance and robust eradication efforts throughout Central America and Mexico. Now, it is critical that we remain vigilant and fully support the USDA and Texas Animal Health Commission's response to mitigate the spread of this threat before it devastates our livestock industry, wildlife populations, and rural economies. I will continue working closely with Secretary Rollins, USDA, and my colleagues on the House Committee on Agriculture to ensure every available resource is deployed to protect America's livestock producers and prevent a widespread outbreak."

RESOURCES:

Unified Government Response To Protect the United States

Website managed by the USDA to provide timely updates on confirmed New World screwworm cases and information for interested parties.

Texas Animal Health Commission

Website managed by the TAHC to provide timely updates from the State of Texas and resources to report suspected and confirmed screwworm cases.

Contacts - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

USDA and TAHC recommend that ranchers and farmers put eyes on their livestock every day to detect signs of infestation, treat and cover open wounds, and maintain a working relationship with local veterinarians should a suspected case arise.

Current Status of New World Screwworm

Find treatments given Emergency Use Authorization for preventative and reactive use against NWS under the "Latest News" tab linked above.

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