Rollins and Miller Clash Over Screwworm Response in Texas
USDA Secretary Rollins Texas Agriculture Commissioner Screwworm Dispute
Tensions between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture have reached a boiling point as both agencies scramble to contain a growing New World screwworm outbreak. Following the discovery of additional cases in Texas and New Mexico, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller publicly criticized the federal pace of the response, stating, “We’ve seen detections in four counties and two states. This should set off alarm bells across the country. Every day we delay gives this pest another opportunity to spread.”
The public disagreement intensified following a briefing on June 8, 2026, at the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas. While USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Governor Greg Abbott held a joint press conference to emphasize a coordinated, resilient strategy, reports indicate that Secretary Rollins has viewed Commissioner Miller’s recent public critiques as counterproductive, with sources describing the administration’s view of the Texas official’s approach as “unserious” regarding the logistical realities of the eradication effort.
The USDA, led by Secretary Rollins, maintains that its five-pronged response—which includes the mass release of sterile flies, enhanced surveillance, and strict animal movement protocols—is the most effective path toward containing the parasite. During her visit to Kerrville, Rollins sought to reassure the public that the nation’s food supply remains safe and robust, categorizing the screwworm as a manageable pest rather than a systemic disease outbreak. The federal government recently appointed John Bellinger as a Senior Advisor for New World Screwworm Preparedness to further integrate response efforts.
Despite the administration’s assurances, the expanding scope of the infestation—now confirmed in multiple Texas counties and neighboring New Mexico—has left ranchers and livestock producers on edge. Critics like Commissioner Miller argue that the current federal measures, particularly the delay in establishing full-scale domestic sterile fly production, are insufficient to meet the urgency of the threat. As the USDA and state officials work to deploy additional resources and increase trapping efforts, the political friction highlights the immense pressure surrounding an outbreak that threatens the economic foundation of the nation’s largest cattle-producing state.
