Alabama Must Act Now on the New World Screwworm
“Waiting until screwworm appears in the United States is not leadership. It’s damage control”—Guest Opinion by Christina Woerner McInnis
Guest Opinion by Christina Woerner McInnis - Candidate for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries
For decades, American farmers believed the screwworm was a problem of the past. We eradicated it once, protected our herds, and moved forward. Today, that dangerous parasite is back on our doorstep, and Alabama cannot afford to ignore the warning signs.
The New World screwworm is already spreading through Mexico and Central America, and animal-health experts agree it is moving north. History shows us exactly what happens when this parasite crosses borders: livestock losses, animal suffering, economic disruption, and farmers and families left scrambling to respond after it’s too late.
This is not theoretical. It is imminent.
What This Means for Alabama Farms
The screwworm fly lays its eggs in open wounds: branding sites, calving injuries, tick bites, and even small cuts. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into living tissue, causing rapidly expanding wounds that can become fatal without immediate treatment.
For Alabama cattle producers, the consequences would be severe:
- Calves and cows lost to preventable infestations
- Higher veterinary costs and emergency interventions
- Operational shutdowns and potential movement restrictions
- Ripple effects across the beef supply chain and rural economies
Alabama agriculture is built on hard work, stewardship, and responsibility. A screwworm outbreak would punish the very people who already operate on tight margins and long hours.
This Isn’t Just a Farm Issue. It’s a Family Issue.
Too often, people think of agricultural threats as something that only affects producers. That’s wrong.
In regions currently dealing with screwworm outbreaks, dogs and cats are being infected, sometimes from nothing more than a small scrape, bite, or surgical incision. Pet owners often don’t realize what’s happening until the wound worsens rapidly.
This parasite doesn’t care whether an animal lives in a pasture or on your couch.
Protecting agriculture also means protecting Alabama families.
The Good News: We Know How to Stop It—If We Act Now
The United States defeated screwworm before using sterile insect technology, a science-based method that successfully eliminated the parasite across North America. That success story is why federal officials are now racing the clock.
The USDA has launched a $100 million New World Screwworm Grand Challenge, effectively a national competition to:
- Expand sterile fly production capacity
- Strengthen early detection and rapid response systems
- Prevent screwworm from ever reaching U.S. soil again
This is the right approach, but it requires leadership, coordination, and urgency.
Why This Matters Now
Waiting until screwworm appears in the United States is not leadership. It’s damage control. Alabama should be ahead of this threat, not reacting to it after producers and pet owners are already suffering losses.
As someone who believes deeply in feeding people well and empowering farmers, I see this moment clearly: We either invest in prevention today, or we pay far more, financially and emotionally, tomorrow.
Alabama farmers don’t need panic. They need preparedness, science, and decisive action.
And Alabama families deserve leaders who take threats seriously before they become crises.
Christina Woerner McInnis will be facing State Sen. Jack Williams and Douglas Mayor Corey Hill in the May 19 primary to be the Republican nominee for Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.
For more information on McInnis and her campaign, visit McInnisForAlabama.com or follow her campaign on social media.
