New World Screwworm

The spray can be used for prevention but not for treatment of wounds affected by the New World screwworm.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized emergency use of a new wound spray to help ranchers protect livestock from New World screwworm. Texas Public Radio’s Yvette Benavides reports on CLiK Extra. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller thanked the FDA for the approval, but expressed frustration over the U.S. Department of Agriculture's continued reliance on sterile flies.

The U.S. will resume limited imports of Mexican cattle on Aug. 24, reopening a trade route that had been closed for more than a year because of the northward spread of New World screwworm. The move comes as tight cattle supplies have pushed beef prices to record highs.

The reopening will start at the Douglas-Agua Prieta, Mexico, border crossing in late August after a more than yearlong closure to protect against the parasite.

Animal rescue leaders say new rules meant to prevent the spread of the livestock parasite make sense. But they are also costly for overcrowded shelters in Texas, which transfer many pets to other states.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is barring horses, pigs, cattle and other animals from Texas due to concerns over New World screwworm, a parasitic fly.

While there are have been at least 35 cases of the New World screwworm in the U.S. this year, Mexico has recorded more than 30,000 cases. The U.S. suspended imports of live Mexican cattle in May of last year over screwworm concerns. Texas Public Radio's Stephania Corpi reports the nations' cattle industries depend on one another. A new report warns Texas could see a sharp increase in pollution as Al data centers fuel demand for natural gas power plants.

Mexico's cattle industry is facing a convergence of drought, disease and disrupted trade that has cut northern Mexican ranchers off from the U.S. market that shaped them for more than a century.

The New World screwworm parasite has been in Mexico for more than a year and a half. Now that it's crossed the border, the United States could turn south for direction.

More cases of the New World Screwworm are being reported. KEDT's Rob Boscamp says 27 cases of the New World Screwworm have now been reported in the country in the past month, with all but one in Texas. Meanwhile, Lubbock city leaders are asking for citizens’ opinions ahead of a public meeting to discuss the subject of large-scale data centers. The meeting will take place on July 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the banquet hall of the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. The city is also taking public opinion in an online survey that’s open through July 2. Results of the survey will be presented at the July 7 meeting.You can find a link to that survey here.