June Ag Report: New World Screw Worm in Confirmed in Texas, Legislative Updates and More!

This week, we are back from a DC trip with federal, state, and Farm Bureau updates. The USDA confirmed the first US detection of New World screwworm in nearly 60 years in South Texas on June 3, 2026, with additional cases in Zavala, La Salle, and Gillespie Counties, Texas, and Lee County, New Mexico; there are currently zero cases in Arizona. Containment depends on rapid producer detection and reporting, daily animal inspection, weekly-checked fly traps, and certificates of veterinary inspection for out-of-state livestock entering Arizona. The Arizona Department of Agriculture has run response simulations and advocated for long-term federal assets including a sterile fly facility in Douglas, while an amendment by Rep. Gosar to H.R. 8646 would add inspection resources at ports of entry. The legislature returned June 1, budget bills were introduced June 9, and Farm Bureau announced policy development meetings June 15, 18, and 19. Learn more and get involved at https://www.maricopacountyfb.org/