2025.08.05 The New World Screwworm Threat to U.S. Food Supply and Economic Stability

The Texas Legislature introduced House Concurrent Resolution 11 (HCR11), a formal demand for immediate and expanded federal action to counter the northward advance of the New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax). This resolution is not an initial alarm but a significant political escalation in response to a well-documented and advancing biological threat. Analysis of primary data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirms the credibility and severity of the threat. The NWS is a parasitic fly whose larvae consume the living flesh of warm-blooded animals—including livestock, wildlife, pets, and humans—with infestations often proving fatal if left untreated.