AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday expanded Texas’ statewide disaster declaration in response to the arrival of the New World screwworm in the state, authorizing state agencies to deploy personnel and resources to contain the infestation.
Abbott signed the expanded declaration during a news conference in Austin after receiving briefings from state and federal officials. The order authorizes the use of all available state resources and allows agencies to redirect personnel, including staff from public university systems, to support response efforts.
State officials said resources will focus on Zavala County, where the first confirmed Texas case was detected this week, and neighboring Uvalde County.
The declaration also aims to accelerate shipments of sterile flies and support construction of a sterile-fly production facility in South Texas. Scientists use sterile male flies to disrupt the screwworm’s reproductive cycle by mating them with females that can reproduce only once, resulting in nonviable eggs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture established a 20-kilometer quarantine zone around the affected area, restricting animal movement without inspection. A broader surveillance zone covers portions of Zavala County and nearby communities.
During the briefing, Abbott said the response needed to move more quickly because the pest could spread rapidly. He directed state agencies to remain prepared for additional response measures.
Federal officials said the USDA would cover the cost of constructing sterile-fly facilities. Abbott said state agencies currently do not require additional funding but could receive financial support if necessary.
USDA officials defended the federal response, saying projections had suggested the screwworm could reach Texas as early as last year and that control efforts delayed its arrival.
The expanded declaration follows local disaster declarations issued by officials in several South Texas counties, including Kinney County, Jim Hogg County, and Uvalde County.
The USDA confirmed the nation’s first New World screwworm case on June 3 after testing a sample from a three-week-old calf in Zavala County. According to federal officials, inspectors found no additional infections within the herd and have not identified any other cases in the United States.
Agriculture officials said the parasite does not infect meat, fruits, or vegetables and does not pose an immediate threat to food supplies. However, the USDA estimates a widespread outbreak could cause approximately $1.8 billion in economic losses in Texas and affect the cattle industry.
Screwworm larvae infest open wounds in animals, feeding on living tissue and causing severe injury, illness, and, in some cases, death. Cattle face particular risk because wounds can remain exposed and support multiple infestations.
Russell Boening, president of the Texas Farm Bureau, urged livestock producers to remain vigilant following confirmation of the pest in Texas.
Some local officials criticized what they described as insufficient communication from the USDA. Lewis Owens said border communities have received limited information about cases detected in Mexico, making it difficult to answer public concerns.
Owens also disputed suggestions that U.S. border policies were responsible for the pest’s spread, noting that cattle import crossings from Mexico have faced restrictions since 2024.
Ranchers expressed concern about the potential impact on livestock and wildlife populations. Nowell Borders said wildlife, particularly deer, may be harder to monitor and could face significant risks if the infestation expands.
The USDA is constructing a sterile-fly production facility in Edinburg that is expected to produce 300 million sterile flies per week when it begins operations in 2027. Federal officials are also working with Mexican authorities to open another facility in Metapa, Mexico, later this month.
Currently, the only active sterile-fly production facility operates in Panama City. The USDA said it has dispersed more than 130 million sterile flies in Texas since January and plans to release approximately 4 million flies per week over the affected area.
USDA Associate Administrator Michael Schmoyer said agency personnel responded within hours of the confirmed case and deployed 11 containers carrying between 80,000 and 100,000 sterile flies each.
Federal officials said sterile-fly releases had already been occurring over a 50-mile zone north of the U.S.-Mexico border before the Texas detection and would continue as part of the containment effort.