Texas land commissioner offers land access to fight New World screwworm

AUSTIN (KVIA) -- Wednesday, the Texas land commissioner offered General Land Office (GLO) managed lands to support Texas' and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's New World screwworm response.

NWS is a parasite that feeds off flesh through open wounds. It infests animals and humans, though the risk is low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Right now, there are five cases of NWS in Texas, including one detected in a dog that lives in New Mexico. the USDA said the dog's case was reported in Andrews County, Texas.

Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Governor offering the lands to protect livestock from NWS.

GLO oversees 750,000 acres of grazing and hunting leases in Texas, Buckingham said. She suggested using the land for trapping infrastructure, deploying sterile insects, quarantine zones and other uses.

"Agriculture plays a vital role in our state and national economy, and the GLO is always happy to offer solutions that safeguard our State and citizens," Buckingham said. "The rapid detection, containment and response efforts already underway demonstrate Texas' commitment to protecting our livestock industry and agricultural economy."

Previously NWS concerns led to a shutdown of a livestock crossing in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, for more than a year. The area's cattle import industry faced a major economic loss.

You can read Buckingham's full letter below.