Vasquez introduces bill to fight New World screwworm threat
Rep. Gabe Vasquez introduced a bipartisan bill to help ranchers respond to New World screwworm after confirmed cases in New Mexico and Texas.
The bipartisan bill would fund Cooperative Extension efforts to train inspectors, educate producers and detect outbreaks early
Organ Mountain News report
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez introduced a bipartisan bill Wednesday aimed at helping ranchers detect and respond to New World screwworm after confirmed cases in New Mexico and Texas.
The Protecting America’s Herds Act would fund local experts through the Cooperative Extension System to train inspectors, inspect livestock, educate producers and provide support intended to catch outbreaks early and prevent them from spreading.
Vasquez, D-N.M., introduced the bill after convening a briefing and press conference in Albuquerque with Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, agriculture and livestock officials from New Mexico and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae can infest wounds in livestock and other warm-blooded animals. The pest was eradicated from the United States in 1966, meaning many producers have never encountered it, Vasquez’s office said.
“For New Mexicans, the New World screwworm is not a distant problem. It’s here, right in our backyard,” Vasquez said in a statement. “That’s why I’m raising the alarm in Congress and leading a bipartisan effort to make sure lawmakers understand this isn’t just a New Mexico or Southwest issue — it’s a national threat to our food supply, our ranchers, and American families — and we need to respond now.”
Vasquez said ranchers have already faced years of drought, rising input costs and record-low cattle herds.
“The last thing we need is a flesh-eating parasite threatening their herds and driving up beef prices for American families,” he said.
During the briefing, livestock officials said they do not expect the outbreak to materially affect beef prices and said American beef products remain safe for consumers, according to Vasquez’s office.
The bill would allow Cooperative Extension agents to train personnel and producers on identifying, treating, managing, preventing and reporting New World screwworm. It would also allow extension agents to serve as livestock inspectors and train and hire additional inspectors.
The legislation also calls for coordination with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, veterinarians, state animal health officials and Tribal agricultural programs. Funding would be prioritized for states and Tribal communities at higher risk of New World screwworm introduction or spread.
The bill has 13 cosponsors, including Leger Fernández and Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. Other cosponsors include Democratic and Republican members from Texas, Kansas, Alabama, California, Maine, Mississippi and Oregon.
Danielle Prokop
Leger Fernández said the first confirmed case in New Mexico shows the need for stronger preparation.
“Ranchers, producers, veterinarians, and agricultural experts have been warning about this threat for months and calling for stronger preparation before it reached our communities,” she said. “Unfortunately, the federal response did not match the urgency of the moment.”
The bill has been endorsed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, New Mexico State University, the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association, the Public Lands Council and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.
Vasquez also called on USDA to expedite completion of a sterile fly production facility in Texas, which he said is needed to help combat the spread of New World screwworm.
New Mexico officials who attended the briefing included representatives from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, New Mexico Livestock Board, Dairy Producers of New Mexico, New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau and USDA APHIS.
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