NCBA Responds to Latest Screwworm Development in Mexico

Sep 23, 2025

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) CEO Colin Woodall responded to the announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that a new case of New World screwworm has been detected in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border:

“It is extremely concerning for the American cattle industry that New World screwworm has moved so far north in Mexico and now is just 70 miles from the border. The speed that screwworm has moved through Mexico is a reminder that this pest poses a critical and urgent threat to America’s cattle producers.

“NCBA appreciates all the resources Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has invested in protecting American agriculture from the New World screwworm. Designating funds for a domestic sterile fly facility, exploring new technologies for sterilizing flies, enhancing fly surveillance, and coordinating with other departments across the U.S. government are all important steps for safeguarding the U.S. cattle industry. We are also encouraged by the Food and Drug Administration’s work to authorize emergency treatments for screwworm, and we look forward to additional product approvals.

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Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.