EXCLUSIVE: Top Rancher Warns Flesh-Eating Fly Threatens U.S. Herds as Mexico Combats the Pest

The country's leading figure in the cattle industry warned on Tuesday about an alarming outbreak of a flesh-eating fly infestation. advancing through Mexico continues to pose a significant danger to American cattle farmers, despite the Trump administration declaring an important success in attempts to combat it.

Buck Wehrbein, who serves as the president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and is also a cattle feeder, comes from eastern Nebraska , commended Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for implementing strong measures to combat the New World screwworm outbreak, a parasitic fly whose larvae can tunnel into animals' tissue, frequently leading to severe injuries or death in livestock.

However, Wehrbein cautioned that with only one day remaining until a U.S. deadline passes, "the crisis is not yet resolved," and American cattle herds still face danger.

“If this screwworm enters the U.S., it could wreak havoc on our sector,” Wehrbein said in an exclusive talk with Fox News Digital.

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These pests essentially consume livestock while they're still alive. We eliminated them from the U.S. back in the 1960s, and we have no intention of letting them establish themselves here once more.

Wehrbein pointed out that the U.S. government invested millions of dollars years ago to eradicate the New World screwworm—only for the pest to resurface in Central America and start advancing northwards towards Texas.

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The screwworm was initially discovered in southern Mexico towards the end of last year, which led U.S. authorities to quickly allocate resources to prevent its spread. Following a reported case of screwworms in Chiapas, the USDA suspended imports of Mexican livestock from late November through February, highlighting their serious concern regarding the potential risk to the country’s food security.

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Currently, U.S. agricultural authorities are working urgently to erect one last defense against the invasive flesh-eating fly before it crosses the border. Over many years, both the United States and Mexico have depended on an advanced Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) program, which involves deploying airplanes to disperse millions of sterilized male flies to control the population of screwworms. However, this approach has been disrupted due to administrative complications caused by Mexican officials. According to U.S. officials, these issues led to blockages and delays in crucial fly-release operations precisely when the outbreak worsened.

As stated by the USDA and cattle industry representatives, Mexico did not fulfill its part in the joint campaign for eradication by denying landing permits, imposing tariffs on gear funded by the U.S., and restricting aerial spraying activities to only six days per week. These constraints reportedly contributed to the increased proliferation of the pests.

Wehrbein made no effort to conceal his irritation.

He exclaimed, 'We were tearing our hair out.' The scientific solutions to contain this pest exist, but they're useless if flights keep getting canceled due to bureaucratic issues. Each passing day allowed the screwworm to establish an even stronger presence.

In a letter dated April 26, which was acquired by Fox News Digital, Secretary Rollins set Mexico a deadline of April 30 to address the concerns; otherwise, imports of live cattle, bison, and horses would be stopped. This action could significantly impact Mexico’s livestock sector and further strain U.S. supply chains that are already facing challenges.

Wehrbein observed, 'It definitely grabbed their focus.' He added, 'Nobody aims to halt trade. It’s a final step that would harm manufacturers from both countries. However, Secretary Rollins and President Trump were very explicit in stating that safeguarding America’s livestock takes precedence.'

Wehrbein mentioned that the NCBA held discussions with high-ranking officials at the Mexican embassy. officials in Washington the previous week to highlight the immediacy.

We ranchers in both Mexico and the U.S. stand together on this issue. It’s crucial that we put an end to this nuisance," stated Wehrbein. "Effective collaboration doesn't have to rely on severe warnings.

On Tuesday, Rollins shared on X that Mexico has consented to permit U.S. sterilized fly planes to touch down, describing it as "a MASSIVE victory for our American cattle farmers!"

Fox News Digital has contacted Secretary Rollins' office seeking additional information and verification but hasn’t gotten a reply as of now.

Wehrbein greeted the announcement, stating it represented a pivotal moment, though not the conclusion of the danger.

Securing those aircrafts back into service is completely essential. It’s reassuring to witness Mexico taking the appropriate action,” he stated. “Honestly, it shouldn’t have taken so much time. However, at least presently, we stand a real opportunity to curb the spread of the epidemic before it crosses over into our territory.”

Although flight permissions seem to be reinstated, it’s uncertain if Mexico will eliminate the import tariffs or permit seven-day operations, as requested by the USDA. Rollins has additionally asked for a high-level liaison from the Mexican government. Mexican government To facilitate quicker collaboration going ahead.

In the long run, Wehrbein stated that the U.S. should reassess the extent to which it depends on external partners for biosafety measures.

He stated, “This scenario underscores the importance of having our nation’s own source of sterilized flies. Should we possess a production facility within our borders generating these insects, we would not have to rely on another country’s assistance.”

“We have great affection for this sector,” Wehrbein stated. “We take pride in nourishing both our nation and the globe.” However, he emphasized, “It demands constant watchfulness, collaboration, and strong guidance to safeguard it. The threat of screwworms serves as a stark reminder that we're just one epidemic away from potential catastrophe, so we must remain proactive in our efforts against such threats.”

Bill MelUGIN contributed to this report for Fox News Digital.

Original article source: EXCLUSIVE: Top cattle official sounds alarm over flesh-eating fly threatening U.S. herds as Mexico steps up efforts against the pest