A Disciplined Daily Brief for Serious People
Independent analysisThis eradication plan is independent analysis based on historical eradication methods. It is not operational guidance and is not an official USDA, TAHC, or COPEG plan. Defer to USDA APHIS, TAHC, and your veterinarian for current official direction.
Using historical TTPs, updated for 2026 conditions
The goal should not be "control screwworm in Texas." The goal should be: Re-establish New World screwworm freedom in the United States and Mexico, push the eradication front south through Central America, and restore the Panama/Darien barrier as the permanent continental shield.
That is the lesson from the original eradication campaign. The U.S. was not made permanently safe by treating ranches one by one; it became safe after sterile-insect release, surveillance, quarantine, and international eradication moved the population front southward and established a maintained barrier.
Current Situation: As of early June 2026, New World screwworm has reached Texas again. USDA's current-status page tracks U.S. detections, Mexico cases, movement restrictions, and response actions. The current response includes sterile-fly dispersal, border controls, movement restrictions, public reporting, and expanded production/dispersal infrastructure. USDA has invested in Moore Air Base in Texas as a domestic sterile-fly dispersal site.
Historical Lesson: The historical eradication program worked because it combined: 1. Sterile insect technique, released continuously and at scale 2. Rapid case detection through rancher reports and larval identification 3. Animal movement controls and inspection lines 4. Wound prevention and wound treatment 5. Aerial release logistics using grids, swaths, and release-density planning 6. International rollback from the U.S. southward through Mexico and Central America 7. A permanent biological barrier in Panama/Darien
This Plan of Action adapts the historical New World screwworm eradication campaign's tactics, techniques, and procedures to 2026 conditions. It is a strategic planning document, not operational guidance — defer to USDA APHIS, TAHC, and your veterinarian for current official direction.