New World Screwworm - Clayton Tucker for TX Agriculture Commissioner Skip navigation

New World Screwworm

The New World Screwworm is a serious threat to Texas agriculture, livestock, wildlife, and even household pets. If not handled immediately with all available tools at our disposal, this will not only harm Texas ranchers but it will also cause further inflation at the grocery store.

The good news is that we’ve beaten the New World Screwworm before, and we’ll beat them again. Right now, the USDA is not allowing us to use every tool at our disposal. We're fighting the Screwworm with one arm tied behind our backs.

We need to deploy the Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS). Such a system worked with past infestations, so it is the missing tool we will, in all likelihood, need to fight back against the Screwworm. We're years away from having anywhere near enough sterile flies. They alone are not the solution. As such, SWASS must be implemented to protect Texans. Click here to learn more about SWASS.

The negative consequences of inaction far outweigh anything else for not just Texas ranchers, but for all those who eat food in Texas.

We need to do everything in our power, within reason, to combat the New World Screwworm, including using both sterile flies, Screwworm Adult Suppression System (SWASS), and any other proven method. Once under control, we need to maintain readiness to handle any future outbreaks. 

Who's signing
Olivia Newsom
Chloe Valles
Meredith Torres
Vicki Sanders
Sarah Tankersley
Alexis Ramsey
Joy Silva
Kayla Guevara
Kassandra Zuniga
Ashley Larson
Jessica Wolf
Tedra Ulmer
Meghana Dinius
Mary Otto Lang
Barbara Inman Barbara Inman
Kenneth Hammes
Ileana Herrera
Allison Garcia
Linda Goodrich
Meghan Zapata
Christine Avila
Austin Watts
Reiven West
April Finn
nora sandoval
Margaret Justus
Jeanne Turnpaw
Lisa Meacham
Kristy Miller
Courtney Anderson

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Showing 30 reactions

  • Olivia Newsom
    signed 2026-09-07 19:59:13 -0500
  • Chloe Valles
    signed 2026-09-06 03:26:14 -0500
  • Meredith Torres
    signed 2026-09-01 20:51:56 -0500
  • Vicki Sanders
    signed 2026-08-29 16:27:06 -0500
  • Sarah Tankersley
    signed 2026-08-29 10:13:47 -0500
  • Alexis Ramsey
    signed 2026-08-28 23:32:15 -0500
  • Joy Silva
    signed 2026-08-27 18:40:47 -0500
  • Kayla Guevara
    signed 2026-08-27 02:21:40 -0500
  • Kassandra Zuniga
    signed 2026-08-26 14:00:09 -0500
  • Ashley Larson
    signed 2026-08-25 15:42:27 -0500
  • Jessica Wolf
    signed 2026-08-24 01:25:22 -0500
  • Tedra Ulmer
    signed 2026-08-23 16:49:50 -0500
  • Meghana Dinius
    signed 2026-08-19 06:15:26 -0500
  • Mary Otto Lang
    signed 2026-08-17 15:53:42 -0500
  • Barbara Inman Barbara Inman
    signed 2026-08-16 12:47:59 -0500
    Thank you
  • Kenneth Hammes
    signed 2026-08-15 12:31:45 -0500
    New World Screwworm is a direct threat to Texas livestock, wildlife, pets, our agricultural economy, and ultimately our food supply. We have successfully fought this parasite before, and we should use every proven, responsible tool available to fight it again. That means combining sterile-fly programs with effective suppression methods such as SWASS rather than relying on a single approach. Just as importantly, Texas and the USDA need a permanent preparedness and surveillance strategy so we are never caught flat-footed by a preventable resurgence again.
  • Ileana Herrera
    signed 2026-08-14 12:42:37 -0500
  • Allison Garcia
    signed 2026-08-13 13:27:03 -0500
  • Linda Goodrich
    signed 2026-08-02 23:22:18 -0500
    The most dangerous thing we can do is try to ignore these problems until they spread beyond our control.

    Please do everything in your power to stop it.
  • Meghan Zapata
    signed 2026-08-02 10:18:51 -0500
  • Christine Avila
    signed 2026-07-29 15:39:40 -0500
  • Austin Watts
    signed 2026-07-27 18:55:28 -0500
  • Reiven West
    signed 2026-07-26 11:16:12 -0500
  • April Finn
    signed 2026-07-26 09:03:52 -0500
  • nora sandoval
    signed 2026-07-25 12:20:49 -0500
  • Margaret Justus
    signed 2026-07-25 11:14:04 -0500
  • Jeanne Turnpaw
    signed 2026-07-23 20:09:04 -0500
  • Lisa Meacham
    signed 2026-07-22 16:17:48 -0500
  • Kristy Miller
    signed 2026-07-22 10:19:15 -0500
  • Courtney Anderson
    signed 2026-07-22 08:05:05 -0500