Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has offered the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state access to General Land Office-managed properties to help respond to the New World Screwworm, which currently has five active cases in Texas.
Buckingham sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott outlining the offer, the GLO announced.
The GLO oversees more than 13 million acres of state land and manages roughly three-quarters of a million acres of grazing and hunting leases across Texas. The agency administers more than 100 active grazing and hunting leases spanning 25 counties, with nearly 4,000 head of cattle.
According to the announcement, the lands could be used for placement of trapping infrastructure, deployment zones for sterile insects, field staging areas for USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services and Texas Animal Health Commission response teams, livestock monitoring and specimen collection sites, and temporary quarantine zones where applicable.
“With over 13 million acres of state land, the GLO oversees three-quarters of a million acres of grazing and hunting leases across the State of Texas. The GLO stands ready to partner with the USDA and the State of Texas by proactively offering access to our lands deemed beneficial for the rapid response to eliminate New World Screwworm,” Buckingham said in the news release.
“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. By working together and remaining vigilant, we can protect our food supply and preserve the health of our livestock and wildlife populations.”
In her letter, Buckingham praised the fast-paced response to the screwworm threat from President Trump, the USDA, and Gov. Abbott. She noted that Texas had successfully confronted an NWS threat in 1966, adding that she was “confident we will do so again.”
“By working together and utilizing every available resource, we can protect Texas livestock, support our ranchers, and safeguard one of the most important sectors of our state’s economy. The GLO stands ready to be a helpful partner,” she concluded.
