New World Screwworm enters the U.S.

NWS infestations were discovered just days apart on calves that grazed
roughly 5.6 miles from each another. (Photo via Hoosier Ag News) 

Despite ongoing efforts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Mexican government and on-the-ground teams along the U.S.-Mexico border, last week the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed two cases of New World screwworm in Texas livestock, reports Jennifer Carrico of Progressive Farmer. In both cases, the flesh-eating blowfly larvae were discovered in young calves about 6 miles apart in Zavala County, Texas.

After the second case was confirmed, Texas Governor Greg Abbott "issued an updated statewide disaster declaration for the NWS infestation," Carrico writes. At a news conference, Abbott encouraged the use of "all state resources to combat the NWS." Additionally, the executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission, Budd Dinges, reminded the public that NWS isn't a threat to consumer food safety but rather poses a threat to livestock production. 

In response to the infestations, APHIS has "deployed mobile response trailers, and sterile fly releases are underway with 2 million aerially and 4 million released on the ground per week," Farm Journal reports. "Movement control zones have been activated at a 20-kilometer (12.4-mile) radius around each site."

Both NWS cases were found in Zavala, Texas, 
in red above. (Wikipedia map)

The discovery prompted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to place "temporary restrictions on livestock imports from Texas," reports C.J. Miller of Hoosier Ag Today. "Under the order, cattle, horses and other livestock that originated in Texas or were present in the state within 21 days before entering Canada will be denied entry."

Although the USDA intensified its battle to prevent the NWS from reentering the U.S. including banning Mexican livestock from entering the U.S. beginning in July 2025, some ranchers don't think the government's response was enough.

"On Friday, about 100 ranchers in mud-splattered boots and cowboy hats packed a small high school cafeteria for a Texas Animal Health Commission briefing on screwworm, peppering officials with questions and venting frustration over what they saw ​as a slow federal response,” reports Heather Schlitz of Reuters. 

Even as the USDA works to contain NWS infestations, they are likely to spread throughout the summer months, Miller reports. Prior to last week, the NWS hasn't been found in the U.S. for at least 60 years.

USDA breaks ground on New World Screwworm sterile fly facility in Texas. So far, efforts have kept NWS out of U.S.

The NWS blowfly has not crossed into the U.S.
(USDA photo)

As part of U.S. efforts to keep the aggressive New World Screwworm out of the country, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins celebrated the groundbreaking of the USDA's domestic sterile fly production facility last week at the Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, reports Jennifer Carrico of Progressive Farmer.

The new facility will add to the USDA's ongoing arsenal aimed at keeping the blowfly and its flesh-eating larvae from entering the U.S. from Mexico and infecting livestock, other warm-blooded wildlife, pets and even humans.

"Rollins said a year ago, the models showed NWS would have moved into the U.S. by now, but it has not and keeping the pest out has been a huge undertaking for all involved," Carrico writes. "Since last July, USDA has monitored over 7,000 fly traps on the border and has collected over 51,000 fly specimens, with all being negative for NWS."

Sigrid Johannes, senior director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told reporters, "The facility in south Texas will help give us a high enough inventory of sterile flies to fight NWS and hopefully eradicate it."

As NWS has moved closer to the U.S., with the closest case just 90 miles away, treatment has been top of mind for U.S. livestock producers. 

The flesh-eating larvae are not "a food safety concern, but rather an animal welfare concern. There would also be immediate trade implications for live animals," Carrico explains. The USDA also has a "Screwworm Response Playbook that outlines science-based strategies for officials at the federal, state, and local levels with how to coordinate response operations."

Ag round-up: Nearly 70% of farmers can't afford fertilizer; union and JBS reach deal; real help for stressed farmers

Share of farmers unable to afford all required fertilizer. (American Farm Bureau Federation graph)

Nearly 70% of American farmers report they can't afford all the fertilizer they need this season because of increased input prices due to the war in Iran and an already stressed farm economy, according to an April survey of 5,700 farmers by the American Farm Bureau Federation. "Farmers in the Southern region reported the greatest difficulty securing fertilizer, with 78% unable to afford all needed inputs this season," reports Faith Parum of AFBF. "Producers in the Northeast and West also reported significant challenges, with 69% and 66%, respectively, unable to afford all required fertilizer, compared to 48% in the Midwest.”

In an effort to drill down into why fertilizer prices have increased so dramatically since 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is "working with the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission on ongoing investigations into fertilizer and other agricultural input costs," reports Chris Clayton of Progressive Farmer. USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden has "continued his criticisms about concentration in the fertilizer industry, calling out The Mosaic Company for announcing it will close phosphorus mines in Brazil. . . . Vaden argued the global market is signaling a need for more supply -- not less. He questioned why a major producer would scale back output under those conditions."

The Greeley plant can process roughly 6,000
cattle per day. (Photo by L. Angharad) 

The local union representing roughly 3,800 beef plant workers in Greeley, Colorado, and meatpacking giant JBS announced a new labor contract agreement early this week, reports Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. Beef plant workers went on strike on March 16, "seeking higher wages and other workplace changes. . . . The Colorado plant can slaughter about 6,000 cattle a day, representing roughly 5% of U.S. beef-processing capacity." The new agreement includes worker wage increases through 2027 and protects employees from having to pay for their own required protective equipment. The last slaughterhouse strike happened at a Minnesota Hormel plant in 1985. 

Despite the multiple pain points for American soybean farmers in 2026, some of the rising input costs and sinking soybean prices have evolved over the past several years -- only to be exacerbated by tariff levies and the war with Iran, report Eric Ferkenhoff of Lee Enterprises and Josh Kelety of The Associated Press. "Costs, such as equipment, have crept up over time while soybean prices have stayed low." Doug Bartek, a fifth-generation farmer, told reporters, "Our biggest struggles are our inputs, be it fertilizer, seed, chemical or parts. There has been so much drastic markup in all of these. And I just kind of feel like the farmer’s kind of painted in the corner." Many Midwest soybean producers share Bartek’s worries.

Real Farmer Care wants to give farmers the means to
care for themselves. (Graphic by A. Dixon, Offrange)

Are you a farmer in need of some downtime? Do you know a stressed-out farmer who might be forgetting to care for themselves because they're tending to everything else? If either answer is yes, consider nominating yourself or another farmer-in-need-of-care for one of Real Farmer Care's $200 microgrants, writes Nicole Caruth for Offrange. "Think a stress-relieving massage, a pair of sturdy work boots, or just a dinner outing with friends. The grants are small, but can potentially have a big impact." From squeezing tariffs to eye-popping fertilizer costs, U.S. farmers are having a rough year. The brief nomination form is here. 

JBS beef meatpackers in Colorado plan strike over pay and company charges for protective equipment

JBS is the number one beef producer in the U.S.
(JBS photo)

American consumers are paying at or near record prices for beef, while nearly 3,800 workers at a JBS beef meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado, say little of the extra cash Americans are shelling out is going into their wallets, and they're planning to go on strike next week, reports Tom Polansek of Reuters.

The planned strike ‌"pits a workforce made up largely of immigrants against the world's largest meat company, and it has already driven ranchers to deliver cattle to alternate facilities," Polansek explains. "Meatpackers, including JBS, benefit from climbing prices but also must pay ​record costs to buy cattle to slaughter."

Despite livestock costs, JBS is still posting significant profits. Polansek notes, "JBS in November reported third-quarter profit of $581 million, ⁠down from $693 million a year earlier.

Kim Cordova, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union that represents workers in Greeley, told Reuters, "While customers are paying more than they ever have, none ​of that is trickling down to the frontline worker that's actually doing all the heavy work."

Cordova said JBS fails to adhere to labor laws and has "not negotiated fairly on a new contract over the past eight months," Polansek reports. She told Reuters that workers want a wage that helps them keep up with inflation, and they "want the company to ​stop charging them for replacing protective equipment they wear to do their jobs safely."

For now, JBS has denied Cordova's claims and is standing by its contract offer. JBS told Polansek, "It is strong, fair, and consistent with the historic national contract reached in 2025."

Meanwhile, cattle feeders are moving where they plan to sell their livestock. One feeder told Polansek, "We've ​got way more kill space than finished cattle ready ​to slaughter."

20% of beef purchases today are from "beef-on-dairy" cattle

Roughly 20% of beef purchased by U.S. consumers is from
beef-on-dairy cattle. (Photo by Austin Santaniello, Unsplash)

Many Americans may not know that about 20% of their beef today comes from beef-on-dairy cattle, Taylor Leach reports for Dairy Herd Management.

Beef-on-dairy, which originates from female dairy cattle being bred to male beef cattle, has allowed for improved, higher-quality calves that benefit the dairy, beef and consumer sectors, Leach explains.

While beef-on-dairy started out as just a mechanism for reproduction in dairy cattle, Leach reports, the genetic advantages have proven to aid in the beef industry long-term, causing farmers to be more intentional with their sire selection.

Three of the major genetic improvements found to make beef-on-dairy better resemble native beef cattle include “fertility and calving traits for dairies, feed efficiency and growth traits for feedyards, carcass merit and consistency traits for the packers," Leach reports.

Not only is beef-on-dairy a better process for farmers, but the beef has proven to be good for consumers as well. Over the past five years, Matthew Cleveland of ABS Global told Leach, the quality grade has continuously improved. “Back in 2021, these animals graded 80% Choice or better. Today they’re leveling at about 92% Choice.”

Nick Hardcastle of Cargill North America similarly told Leach that from a marbling perspective, about two-thirds of beef-on-dairy cattle could qualify for upper two-thirds Choice. He also said they’re “grading well, adding stability to supply and proving they can hold their own in a system that demands both consistency and performance.”

High beef prices are 'the new normal' for Americans

After years without profits, U.S. cattle ranchers resist
growing their herds. (Photo by K. Sikkema, Unsplash)

Even as U.S. consumers keep complaining about high beef prices and government officials, including President Donald Trump, have pressured cattle ranchers to lower their prices, American livestock owners have a message for both groups: Get used to paying more for red meat. Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal reports, "High prices are the new normal in the U.S. beef market."

Roughly five years ago, livestock owners were barely scraping by as they contended with high input prices, drought, wildfires and paltry payments from meatpacking companies. To cut costs, they reduced their herd sizes.

Now that beef prices have consistently risen, and consumer demand has remained robust, "ranchers are reluctant to erode their strongest profits in decades by increasing the size of their herds," Thomas explains. "As a result, the U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest level in 75 years."

In January, "ground-beef prices were up 17% from a year earlier, compared with a 2.1% rise for all other groceries over that time," Thomas writes. Beef remains a protein favorite for many Americans who continue to purchase it despite price hikes.

Cattle ranchers, who are finally seeing some profits, have opted to channel money into long-stalled repairs and paying down debts. Other ranchers are investing in breeding plans "that could yield juicier steaks — and possibly land them bigger paydays," Thomas explains. But most don't plan to increase their herd sizes.

All told, U.S. consumers can expect to pay more for beef in the foreseeable future. Thomas adds, "Meatpacking companies have signaled that a smaller beef supply is here to stay."

Carbon credits create a way for farmers falling into debt to keep their land

Carbon credits can provide cattle farmers with a new
source of income. (Photo by Bernd Dittrich, Unsplash)

Farmers facing drought, inflation or labor shortages often sell their generational land rather than go into debt, reports Yusuf Khan of The Wall Street Journal. In some states, cattle producers are filling financial gaps by using regenerative farming techniques that generate farm income through carbon credit payments. 

Frates Seeligson, who farms outside of Nixon in south Texas, told Khan he has seen cash-strapped ranchers sell their land to developers rather than go into the red.

“If you look at the business model of agriculture it’s somewhat broken,” Seeligson told Khan. “It’s capital and labor intensive with a very small return, and then you’re subject to the whims of nature." Texas has been facing drought conditions in many regions since 2021.

To combat ranchers' ongoing financial struggles, a carbon credit developer Grassroots Carbon is paying cattle farmers like Seeligson to use regenerative agriculture techniques aimed at trapping carbon in their soil, Khan explains. Backed by companies like Microsoft, Nestle and Chevron, Grassroots sells carbon credits for between $40 and $65 per ton, which have a lifetime of 100 years. 

One of the techniques Grassroots promotes is rotational grazing to keep livestock from overgrazing, Khan explains. “Rotational grazing is a common practice in farming, but Grassroots suggests ranchers rotate more often, sometimes daily and on smaller properties, multiple times a day.” For example, Seeligson now uses 28 temporary pastures, as opposed to his previous nine permanent ones.

The benefits aren’t limited to just storing carbon, though, according to Allen Williams, a researcher and rancher studying regenerative agriculture. Healthier grasses also make for healthier herds, growing herd pregnancy rates. Additionally, a “1% increase in soil organic matter can help soils to hold up to roughly 20,000 additional gallons of water per acre, an important factor in avoiding flooding,” a study from 2021 shows.

First animal case of New World screwworm in 10 years discovered in Florida

An animal wound with New World screwworm eggs,
larvae and an adult. (Photo by Samantha Gibbs, FWS)

The first New World screwworm animal case in 10 years was discovered in Florida earlier this week, prompting farm leaders and state officials to acknowledge that, although current protocols prevented this infected animal from entering the U.S., the noxious pest's reentry may be inevitable.

The blowfly larvae rode in on a horse "from Argentina [that] presented for routine inspection at an import quarantine facility in Florida," report Chris Torres and Joshua Baethge of Farm Progress. Larvae samples collected from a wound during the horse's examinations were "shipped to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Iowa, and it was confirmed that the larvae were New World screwworm."

Sid Miller, Texas agriculture commissioner, said "the detection is proof of the importance of USDA’s import inspection and quarantine protocols," Torres and Baethge write. According to Miller, "Our federal inspection system is working exactly as designed and is an additional biosecurity tool that will protect our industry."

At the annual Lancaster Cattle Feeders Day in late January, Colin Woodall, the CEO for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told fellow cattle producers, "You should be worried about [NWS] because no doubt there will be a market impact." Torres and Baethge add, "Woodall said beef producers should be prepared for an outbreak."

Using millions of sterile male NSW blowfly dispersals, the USDA and Mexican authorities have been trying to get ahead of the pest's travel through Mexico and into the U.S., where it's most likely to cross into Texas. Farm Progress reports, "The USDA also announced a new dispersal area for sterile flies going as far as 50 miles into Texas to stop the insect’s northern spread."

Female screwworm flies most often lay their eggs in the open wounds or scratches of sheep or cattle, but the larvae will feed on the flesh of any warm-blooded animal, which should leave more than cattle producers worried. Torres and Baethge explain, "Miller says screwworms can infest any of the 200 mammal species in Texas. That’s bad news for pet owners, not to mention the state’s multibillion-dollar wildlife industry."

Bulk-beef purchases require an investment, but they can help family grocery budgets, cattle farmers and butchers

Graphic by Adam Dixon, Offrange

Whether it's juicy burgers, a tender tri-tip roast, or the rich flavor of grilled steaks, many Americans love their beef. But affording red meat -- even ground beef -- has become trickier for many household budgets. For some families, purchasing a whole or part of an entire cow could be the answer to beef dinners that don't empty the grocery wallet, reports Emma Glassman-Hughes for Offrange. 

Today's meat industry has accustomed most U.S. consumers to choosing beef cuts from grocery store shelves lined with plastic-covered trays, offering a variety of cuts at a wide range of prices. "But with increasing social, political, and economic instability, some [experts] are predicting more Americans will attempt to insulate their pantries. . . by buying their meat in bulk directly from farmers," Glassman-Hughes explains. 

Bulk beef purchases cost more upfront, and consumers pay one price per pound for all cuts. However, the initial cost of half a cow (also known as a side of beef) can be $1,300, which can be cost-prohibitive, even though the price per pound ranges from $6.50 to $7.00, which is a significant savings for family grocery budgets. To offset the costs, some families opt to go in together when purchasing a side of beef and then divide the spoils. Sharing a side of beef purchase also helps consumers reduce the freezer storage space needed. 

A direct-sale bulk meat purchase also helps cattle producers and local economies. Michele Thorne, who heads up the nonprofit, the Good Meat Project, which focuses on helping Americans afford more ethically produced meat, told Offrange, “I enjoy supporting a local farm, because I know that my money is staying in the community, in the state."

While some cattle farmers handle the butchering for their customers, in more remote locations, cow-purchasing customers have to arrange their own butcher, which sometimes requires planning months in advance. Glassman-Hughes explains. "This country’s butchering industry has been shrinking for the last half-century, stretching the remaining butchers to their limits."

Even with the initial planning for upfront costs, freezer space and a butcher, the "experience of buying meat directly from a farmer instead of shrink-wrapped at the grocery store would seem to outweigh the negatives for many," Glassman Hughes adds. "Thorne believes that, if nothing else, buying directly from farmers and butchers goes a long way toward strengthening the overall community fabric."

Find step-by-step "buying half a cow" tips and instructions here. 

New World Screwworm inches closer to the Texas border; flesh-eating larvae can be deadly to cattle

Brahman cows graze near Mercedes, Texas, about 11 miles 
from the Mexico border. (Photo by J. Carrico, Farm Journal)

After a few months of reduced sightings, the New World Screwworm is making news again. "Mexican authorities confirmed an NWS case in a seven-year-old bovine and a 6-day-old calf both on Jan. 5," reports Jennifer Carrico of Progressive Farmer. Both infected animals were less than 220 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Despite efforts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Mexican authorities, NWS has inched closer to the Texas border. The parasite has spread north even as Mexico has strictly limited cattle movement across the country.

Texas Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller told Carrico, "The screwworm now may be moving closer on its own, with no apparent link to commercial animal movement. Texas producers must act now -- stay informed, stay vigilant, and prepare immediately. We cannot drop our guard for even a moment."

NWS flesh-eating larvae can be deadly to cattle and other warm-blooded animals, including sheep, horses and dogs. Female NWS deposit their eggs in an animal's open wound, and once the larvae hatch, they eat away at the host's flesh, which can cause infection and decay. "The larvae can kill an animal in just four to seven days if not quickly detected and treated," reports Stump Denton of Farm Journal.

Since female NWS mate only once in a lifetime and store their fertilized eggs, releasing millions of sterile male NWS has been the best way to eradicate harmful larvae production. Carrico explains, "The USDA eradicated NWS from the United States in 1966 using the sterile insect technique, and it was used successfully again in 2016 in the southern Florida Keys when found in deer."

A sterile fly distribution facility at Moore Airbase in Edinburg, Texas, is expected to be up and running early this year.

Managing cattle manure can prevent antibiotic-resistant bacteria from contaminating crops, new study finds

Unmanaged cow manure can cause antibiotic-resistant bacteria
to proliferate. (Adobe Stock photo)

Manure and antibiotic management on cattle ranches can help prevent the growth of more antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a new study finds.

Researchers have uncovered substantial evidence that unmanaged livestock manure poses a global health risk by transmitting antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) when spread in fields or used to water crops.

When antibiotics are used to treat livestock, resistant bacteria and their resistance genes "can build up in cattle guts, which is then excreted into manure," reports Pragathi Ravi for Offrange. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their genes "reduce the effectiveness of critical medicines on humans." 

Giving farm animals antibiotics only when they are ill -- not as a way to promote growth -- is one way to prevent antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes from multiplying, according to the World Health Organization. 

One problem with antibiotic-resistant bacteria or genes is that once they have sickened a human, there is no viable treatment. Ravi adds, "In 2021, a study published in The Lancet estimated that 4.71 million deaths were associated with antimicrobial resistance between 1990 and 2021."

Humans can become ill from contact with untreated manure or from ingesting food fertilized or watered with unprocessed manure that contains bacteria. Ravi explains, "Salmonella can grow inside a tomato, which means washing it externally is not going to help when the tomato is consumed raw."

Study researcher and professor Xun Qian told Ravi: "Livestock manure carries antibiotic resistance genes that can defeat every major class of antibiotics used in human medicine — including those considered ‘last resort.'" 

Implementing programs that support proper manure composting before it is applied to farmland can help prevent ARGs from spreading.

Closing the border for cattle trade hurts American and Mexican livestock managers

Cattle handlers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border
are struggling. (Photo by Marc Hardy via Farm Progress)

The resurgence of the New World screwworm blowfly and its flesh-eating larvae over the summer prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to shut down live cattle trade between the U.S. and Mexico in July. The closed border has hobbled businesses in both countries.

Feedlot owners in Texas, who make their living caring for Mexican cattle after they pass through the U.S. port of entry, have seen their herd sizes and incomes dwindle. Jennifer Carrico of Farm Progress reports, "Mark Rogers, owner of Rogers and Sons, Ltd. Custom Cattle Feeders in Dimmitt, Texas, has fed Mexican cattle for over 25 years. The border closure has lowered his cattle number to 70% of the feedyard's capacity compared to a year ago."

On the Mexican side of the border, Omar Gonzalez, who is Rogers' cattle broker, is also struggling. He told Carrico, "Screwworm isn't a problem up here in the Northern Plains of Mexico, and now we are having to find a place to put these cattle that normally go to the U.S."

Mexican ranchers aren't just looking for lots to hold cattle, but also for corn to feed them and packing facilities, which have typically been managed once the cattle were in the U.S.

As long as the border remains shut, the "decrease in cattle coming to the U.S. not only affects the feedyards but many others in the industry," Carrico writes. "Those who find themselves out of a job include truckers, employees at the ports of entry and those who help expedite getting the cattle to the border on the Mexican side and to the feedyards on the U.S. side."

Business owners in the U.S. and Mexico worry that the border will remain closed. Rogers told Carrico, "I'm not sure what I will do or my neighbors (will do) if the border doesn't reopen."

New World screwworm detected roughly 70 miles from the Texas border as USDA efforts intensify

New World screwworm was found roughly 70 
miles from Laredo, Texas. (USDA photo)

 

The New World screwworm and its flesh-eating larvae have made their way through Mexico to hover fewer than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. "The case was reported near Sabinas Hidalgo in Nuevo Leon," reports Joshua Baethge of Farm Progress. "That city is close to a major highway connecting Monterrey, Mexico’s second-largest metro area, and Laredo, Texas."

Screwworm larvae were discovered in "an 8-month-old cow that was moved to the area from southern Mexico, which has active NWS cases," Baethge writes. Concerned lawmakers and livestock owners would like Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to persuade the Mexican government to restrict cattle movement to contain the pest.

While NWS larvae will eat the flesh of any warm-blooded animal, female screwworm flies most often lay their eggs in the open wounds or scratches of sheep or cattle. The larvae are considered a threat to U.S. livestock and rancher economies as well as the U.S. food supply.

Rollins said "protecting the U.S. from New World screwworm is a 'national security priority," Baethge reports. Rollins added that "U.S. farmers and ranchers should know that the U.S. 'will not rely on Mexico' to defend the cattle industry, the food industry or 'our way of life.'"

State of Nuevo León within Mexico
(Wikipedia map)

The USDA and Mexican authorities have been working together to push the NWS away from both countries' livestock herds through sterile fly releases, animal surveillance and fly trapping and testing work. 

Since July, the USDA and Mexico "have been monitoring almost 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico," reports Jennifer Carrico of Progressive Farmer. "Currently, all the 13,000-plus screening samples have detected no NWS flies."

While the latest detection in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, appears to be limited to one cow, the USDA is still investigating. "Rollins said the U.S will be 'taking no chances,'" Baethge reports.

U.S. ranchers finally see profits: Thin herds and high demand have beef prices climbing

There's no quick fix for low herd numbers pushing beef prices higher.
(Graph by Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University)

After years of hard work and economic struggle, U.S. ranchers are making bank on beef.  "Business hasn’t been this good for cattle ranchers in decades, maybe ever," reports Patrick Thomas of The Wall Street Journal. "Cattlemen are now making a record profit of more than $700 per animal, up from $2 five years ago, according to some industry estimates."

Demand for beef is high and herd counts are at historic lows, creating a market where prices have surged for "everything from ground beef to steaks," Thomas explains. "Retail ground-beef prices set a record in August, up about 13% from the same month last year."

U.S. beef cattle numbers began shrinking during recent droughts that decimated grazing lands, and pandemic-era meatpacking backups. Ranchers couldn't afford their herds and opted to thin them to stem their losses.

Farmers are using their new income to reinvest in their herds, pay off debts and purchase more sophisticated equipment. But no one knows how long higher prices will continue. Thomas reports, "Executives of Tyson Foods and JBS — two of the world’s largest meat companies — have projected that cattle supplies could tick up in 2027 or 2028."

Some ranchers don't think increasing herd size is a good business model and are choosing to invest in better genetics instead of more cattle. Thomas writes, "The idea is to produce cattle that can yield juicier steaks — and fetch higher prices."

Texas cattle owners remain on 'high alert' as a human infection of New World screwworm is confirmed

A sterile male screwworm fly is numbered to study fly dispersal.
(USDA photo via PBS)

Despite focused efforts to prevent the flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite from entering the U.S., a human case of screwworm was confirmed on Sunday. The parasite was "detected in a person in Maryland who returned to the U.S. after traveling to El Salvador, according to the Department of Health and Human Services," reports Rebecca Falconer of Axios. 

While the HHS does not consider screwworms a significant threat to humans, American livestock farmers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are preparing for the parasite. Cassandra Garrison, Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas of Reuters report, "Industry cattle ranchers, beef producers and livestock traders [are] already on high alert for potential U.S. infestations as screwworm has moved northward from Central America and southern Mexico."

Since November, the USDA has worked with Mexico to contain the aggressive parasite from nearing the U.S.-Mexico border, including closing cattle trade ports and having massive sterile fly releases. Last week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans to build a sterile fly facility in Texas to combat screwworm infestations.

Most experts believe that Texas is the most likely place for screwworms to enter the country. Reuters reports, "The USDA has estimated a screwworm outbreak could cost the economy in Texas, the biggest U.S. cattle-producing state, about $1.8 billion in livestock deaths, labor costs and medication expenses."

For a more in-depth explanation of screwworms, click here.

USDA announces a new Texas facility to push screwworms from U.S.; the insidious larvae threaten the beef industry

Screwworm infestations eat their living host's flesh.
They are painful and can be deadly. (Adobe Stock photo)

In an effort to combat the threat parasitic screwworms pose to U.S. livestock and wildlife near the U.S.-Mexico border, the Department of Agriculture announced it will "spend up to $750 million to build a facility in Texas that produces sterile flies to fight the flesh-eating livestock pest," report Tom Polansek and Leah Douglas of Reuters. The production plant will be built in Edinburg, Texas, at Moore Air Base.

USDA scientists and agricultural partners have been working diligently with Mexican authorities to push the blowfly and its flesh-eating larvae southward; however, the newly announced facility signals that those efforts may not be enough to protect U.S. cattle. Texas ranchers are "anticipating the return of screwworm for the first time in decades," Reuters reports. "The U.S. eliminated screwworm in the 20th century by flying planes over hotspots to drop boxes packed with sterile flies."

The new facility is expected to "produce 300 million sterile screwworm flies per week, according to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins," Polansek and Douglas write. Mass numbers of sterile male blowflies work to create a buffer by out-competing the fertile male flies. Female blowflies only mate once, so when they mate with a sterile male blowfly, no screwworms can be produced.

Rollins previously predicted that "such a facility would take two to three years to build," Reuters reports. During the facility's construction, the "USDA will spend another $100 million on technologies to combat screwworm. . . and hire more mounted officers to patrol the border for infested wildlife. . . The USDA has also invested in a sterile fly production plant in Mexico that is slated to open next year."

Should screwworms return to the U.S., they could devastate the cattle industry. Polansek and Douglas explain, "An outbreak could further elevate record-high U.S. beef prices by reducing the U.S. cattle supply. Rollins told Reuters, "All Americans should be concerned."

An in-depth look at screwworms and the USDA response to keep the problem from spreading in the U.S.

An adult female screwworm fly can lay up to 300 eggs
at a time. (USDA photo via Offrange)

 

Hollywood horror flicks can't hold a candle to the gruesomely parasitic screwworm. The flesh-eating larvae were eradicated in the U.S. nearly 60 years ago, only to reappear in South America and then migrate back into Mexico, where the Department of Agriculture has played hardball at the border, trying to keep the insidious pest from re-entering the states.

Luckily for cattle and other mammals, the screwworm, which is a type of blowfly's larva, isn't even a particularly effective parasite because it inevitably kills its host.

Female Cochliomyia hominivorax fixate on the smell of blood from any wound as a place to "lay their eggs — up to 300 at a time. These hatch out spined maggots that anchor themselves into flesh, then proceed to eat their way through it, sometimes deep into muscle," reports Lela Nargi of Offrange. "If it’s deep enough, the host animal cannot survive."

The USDA continues to use a multi-pronged approach to control screwworms:

• In May, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins suspended the import of live cattle, horses, and bison through U.S. ports of entry along the Mexican border, aiming to curtail entry possibilities while providing time to prepare and counter any screwworm infestations. While Rollins announced a phased reopening of the southern ports this July, the plan comes with heightened and constant monitoring.
• The plan includes the incremental release of thousands of sterile male screwworm producers with heavy monitoring by U.S. and Mexican scientists. The mass numbers of sterile screwworm-producing blowflies work to create a buffer by out-competing the fertile male flies. Since a female screwworm blowfly can only mate once in a lifetime, when she mates with a sterile male blowfly it insures that her eggs will never hatch -- no matter how many eggs she lays.
• Experts can also trap and measure the ratio of sterile to fertile male screwworm producers in different areas. Sterile releases aim to overwhelm the wild population, which scientists can also measure through traps.
• The USDA also employs teams affectionately known as "tick cowboys" who patrol borders on horseback, looking for any signs of illness in herds. By scouting for any cattle that appear distressed, the USDA can quickly detect, contain, and report any screwworm (or other) infestation.

An active screwworm infestation can be treated and cured, but like the worms themselves, it's "disgusting," Nargi writes. "The maggots have to be removed before the wound is cleaned and sutured." 

Screwworms do have a natural enemy -- fire ants. Nargi writes, "Unsurprisingly, no one is talking about dispersing more fire ants to eat the screwworms."

Experts are already hard at work helping livestock owners get prepared. Philip Kaufman, an entomologist at Texas A&M, "helped compile a new screwworm fact sheet that’s being distributed to ranchers," Nargi reports. "He isn’t prone to screwworm pessimism." He told her, "We are concerned, but we are not in a crisis. People are getting trained up and we’re gonna tackle this and solve it again."

Sharing any suspicious findings is key. Kaufman told Nargi, "Reporting is the number one thing people can do. If you ignore this, that fly population is just going to get bigger and bigger and cause more of a problem for everybody else. This is a community issue.”

Farm updates: Eradicating screwworms; air detecting for bird flu; John Deere suit continues; Farm Dog of the Year!

Tusk-like mandibles can rasp the flesh of living warm-
blooded animals. (USDA photo via Successful Farming)

Despite its eradication from the U.S. in 1966, the New World Screwworm has returned to Mexico, which means the aggressive, flesh-eating flies could re-enter the U.S. 

While the NWS could prey on any warm-blooded animal, its return would be devastating for the U.S. cattle industry. Angie Stump Denton reports for Farm Journal, "The larvae can kill an animal in just four to seven days if not quickly detected and treated."

Experts believe Texas would be the most likely place for NWS to enter the U.S. from Mexico. In late April, after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins threatened to suspend cattle imports from Mexico to the U.S. as she did in November 2024, the two countries were able to agree on a strategy to control the NWS. Listen to more details on the NWS and USDA approaches for "complete eradication" here.

New bird flu detection sensors are fast. By testing air from exhaust vents, the systems monitor for
 bird flu 24/7. (ASC Publications graphic)

Bird flu remains a significant concern for egg and poultry industries as well as backyard and small chicken or turkey farms. The virus presents numerous difficulties, one of which is a lack of "any 'early warning' system," reports Alfred Poor for Offrange. "Testing requires a lab and can take days to deliver results. … A new detection technology can produce results in minutes and is designed to be installed on-site, right in the flock housing buildings, to provide continuous monitoring. … The system samples air from the exhaust vents from the animals’ housing. The researchers have described their results in a paper in ACS Sensors."

The new detection technology doesn't require any technical training to run and it's accurate. Poor adds, "According to the team’s own published results, the system’s results showed a 90% correlation with the standard PCR lab results."

Even though U.S. farmers can now legally repair their tractors, a lawsuit addressing John Deere's past repair policies and tactics with farmers will still make its way through the court system. "The Agriculture equipment giant must face a lawsuit by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission accusing the company of forcing farmers to use its authorized dealer network and driving up their costs for parts and repairs," reports Mike Scarcella of Reuters. "U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston in the federal court in Rockford, Illinois, ruled for now to reject Deere’s effort to end the lawsuit."

Deere countered the suit saying that "it does not compete in the market for repair services," Scarella reports. "The company also challenged the lawfulness of the structure of the FTC. … Deere alleged that restrictions against removing FTC commissioners illegally bar the president from exercising lawful oversight."

We don't know how we missed it, but it's our pleasure to introduce "Sirius," the amazing and lovable 2025 Farm Bureau Dog of the Year. "Livestock guardian dog Sirius is a 'hero behind the heroes' – a herd of miniature therapy horses that bring comfort to those who have experienced traumatic events," the American Farm Bureau Federation reports. 

The mini-horses that Sirius and his fellow Maremma sheep dogs help protect from behind the scenes have given people joy during some of their worst experiences. They visited families after the Sandy Hook school shooting and comforted victim families and first responders after the Pulse Nightclub shooting. They make people smile and laugh in children and veteran hospitals wherever they go. 

While Sirius and his fellow canine guardians stay home at the farm, they help owners Jorge and Debbie Garcia-Bengochea know the horses are safe. Jorge told FB, "The Maremma breed is intended to bond with the herd. When these dogs are on alert and watching the herd, I feel like it's a  24/7 security system."

Farmers are encouraged to enter their tremendous farm dog here for the 2026 award.

Ag updates: Celebrate Beef Month; handling farm stressors; 'regenerative' farming limits; what is 'acequia' irrigation?

"Round-up scenes in Belle Fouche" by John C. H. Grabill. (Library of Congress photo via Ag Clips)

May is National Beef Month, and possibly the best time to look back at the country's short but impactful cattle drive history, which began around 1866 and ended in the 1890s. "The biggest legacy of the cattle drives exists in popular culture. The cattle drives occurred in a time when the United States was shifting from an agrarian-based society to a more industrial and urban society," reports Morning Ag Clips. "Because of this shift, the cowboys and ranch life were looked on with nostalgia as 'simpler times,' and they became a popular subject for stories and songs."

With tariffs, weather, bird flu and hi-input costs, U.S. farmers are unsurprisingly stressed. Burnout and depression can easily follow emotions run ragged by an ever-changing commodities landscape. "This sort of chronic stress complicates decision-making and other aspects of managing a farm or ranch," reports Raylene Nickel for Successful Farming. "If you recognize signs of stress and burnout, do these six things to help yourself cope or recover: Take care of your physical self, surround yourself with good people, take charge of your thoughts, build spiritual capital, find ways to reduce stress, seek help. 

In a letter to Ford President and CEO Jim Farley, a coalition of U.S. corn growers asked Farley to reconsider the company's move away from flex fuel vehicle production and to "reengage in advancing renewable fuel technologies that support rural America," reports Jesse Allen for American Ag Network. "The letter highlights the critical role American-grown ethanol plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening energy independence, and supporting local economies."

Regenerative farming may not be as
"green" as it sounds. (New Lede photo)

"Regenerative" agriculture may be healthy farming's new buzzword, but food producers and buyers should be aware of the label's limitations. "Proponents of regenerative farming say the practice can mitigate harmful climate change, reduce water pollution, and make foods more nutritious as farmers focus on improving the health of soil, water, and ecosystems," reports Carey Gillam for The New Lede. "That momentum comes with a dirty dark side, according to a new report [that] asserts regenerative programs, which generally allow for the use of weedkillers and other chemicals, are being used to 'greenwash' routine use of several dangerous pesticides on farm fields. . . .Corporations that sell such pesticides are entwined with the movement. . ."

An illustration of how acequias work.
(Drawing by Jerold Widdison via Civil Eats)

Southwestern farmers grappling with arid conditions brought on by climate change revived the ancient 'acequia' irrigation system to address water shortage problems. "Time-tested solutions like this one could hold the key to mitigating the worst impacts of climate change, especially in rural communities," reports Samuel Gilbert for Civil Eats. "In the San Luis Valley, in south-central Colorado, 130 gravity-flow ditches irrigated 30,000 acres of farmland and 10,000 acres of wetlands." Devon Peña, founder of The Acequia Institute, told Gilbert, "This is an incredibly productive, resilient, and sustainable system."

A cold case of cows gone missing. So many are gone and rustling doesn't fully explain it.

The Uncompahgre Plateau includes about 2,290 square miles in five counties: Delta, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, and San Migue. The San Juan Mountains stand in the background. (PeakVisor photo)

When nearly 200 cows don't come home, ranchers expect to find evidence that points to what became of their cattle. That just isn't the case in Montrose County, Colorado, where 187 cows disappeared without a trace and a comprehensive investigation yielded only more mystery.

A week before Thanksgiving 2024, the first losses were tallied: "Twenty-nine cows and calves, a rancher told a state agriculture official, hadn’t come home," reports Karin Brulliard of The Washington Post. "One week later, three more reports from three other owners: 46, 38 and 31 head of cattle, all gone. Three days after that, rancher Kelly Burch also alerted authorities. She had counted her herd and come up 43 animals short."

All of the missing cows spent the summer grazing on the Uncompahgre Plateau, "rugged country where some animals always fall victim to predators, illness or weather," Brulliard writes. "But never this many and not without leaving lots of carcasses behind. Also unusual: The vast majority were calves."

Location of Montrose County in
Colorado. (Wikipedia map)

With the demand for U.S. beef at near-record highs, Colorado law enforcement first theorized that the missing bovines were taken by rustlers. Chuck Searcy, who is leading the Montrose County Sheriff’s investigation, "spent the winter fielding tips about suspicious characters and even theories about alien abduction," Brulliard reports. "He is convinced it’s at least partially a theft case."

The state and county responded to threat of rustlers with a rigorous investigation "involving sheriffs, a multiagency task force, search planes, a $10,000 reward and a bull rider turned cowboy who has scouted the area on horseback," Brulliard adds.

But the cow rustling theory has holes. "No semitrailer could reach the hardscrabble, unpaved altitude where these cattle were spread, the kind of range even experienced ranch hands don’t know by heart," Brulliard explains. "Typically, mother cows separated from their calves would show distress. A mass die-off, perhaps from poison weed, would produce bodies."

Whatever the cause, the missing cows "raised alarm at sale barns across Colorado. At one of the busiest, Centennial Livestock Auction in Fort Collins, the brands of the missing cattle are posted on the bulletin board of inspector Jesse Phillips’s office," Brulliard reports. "In the meantime, the case got a break of sorts. Tony Mendes, a former pro bull rider, found 17 of the missing cattle. . ." still out in the grazing area. 

Read Brulliard's full story here.