June 3, 2026 4:18 PM

After dismissing concerns of Rep. McLaughlin, the USDA now confirms case of New World screwworm in South Texas

"Well… maybe we should listen to our state representatives," McLaughlin said

The United States Department of Agriculture on Wednesday confirmed a case of New World screwworm in South Texas. For the uninitiated, it’s a parasitic fly that could wreak havoc on the state’s $15 billion cattle industry – not to mention its impact on all other living organisms.

The announcement comes just one day after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had dismissed the concerns of Rep. Don McLaughlin, R-Uvalde. He raised the issue on social media and in correspondence to other lawmakers. The freshman Republican from Uvalde County, a former mayor of Uvalde, had said that the parasite had been detected a mile from the US-Mexico border.

By Scott Braddock