|
SACRAMENTO, November 20, 2025 -- CDFA’s Office of Pesticide Consultation & Analysis (OPCA) is amplifying efforts to protect ranchers and livestock from the threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS). The screwworm has been detected within 70 miles of the US/Mexico border and poses a significant risk to the US cattle industry.
To optimize early detection and rapid response, OPCA has awarded $507,421 in funding for one project through its Adaptive IPM for Invasive Agricultural Pests grant program.
Led by Dr. Amy Murillo, the three-year project will collaborate closely with CDFA’s Animal Health Branch to establish a coordinated framework for rapid detection and response to any screwworm threat. The project will:
- Form a working group and surveillance network for the early detection of New World Screwworm.
- Develop Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines for both prevention and control of infestations.
- Initiate an educational training program to help veterinarians and livestock producers recognize, address, and report screwworm infestations in animals.
CDFA’s preparedness efforts extend beyond this funded project, involving consistent, multi-faceted coordination and protocol development. CDFA’s Animal Health Branch is actively working with a series of partners--including other border states, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and private veterinarians--to establish the best prevention, detection, and response practices. CDFA collaborates with key state agencies, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES) to develop NWS protocols for a comprehensive emergency response plan. This preparation involves hosting planning exercises to clarify roles and developing specific response protocols, like the use of fly traps, IPM, sterile fly release techniques, alternative carcass disposal methods, and animal movement control.
An NWS infestation would be a foreign animal disease, and swift and accurate reporting remains a crucial component of the state's defense and must be reported to state or federal animal health officials within 24 hours of detection. Upon diagnosis, CDFA would work with the producer or animal owner to immediately quarantine the premises and the infested animals, ensuring daily care and treatment until the larvae are eliminated.
The goal of the Adaptive IPM for Invasive Agricultural Pests Program is to develop IPM program(s) or components that can be rapidly deployed when new invasive agricultural pests arrive and become established in California, or when recently arrived invasive pests expand their range or host species. The program supports research to refine and optimize existing IPM strategies to improve their effectiveness, and it explores additional control measures against established invasive agricultural pests that drive extensive pesticide use but remain uncontrolled due to developed pesticide resistance.
Detailed information on this program, including the application process and application requirements, is available at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/opca/adaptive-ipm.html
More Information about on the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis is available at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/opca/
About the Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) OPCA is part of CDFA’s Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS), which is dedicated to supporting a sustainable and thriving future for California’s farmers and ranchers. With 90 percent of the state’s farms being family-owned and producing more than 400 crops—including one-third of the nation’s vegetables and over three-quarters of its fruits and nuts—California agriculture plays a vital role in the food system. These farms face growing challenges from drought, extreme heat, and evolving pest pressures. Through innovative programs, science-based approaches, and strong partnerships, OARS delivers practical tools and strategies to advance both environmental resilience and economic sustainability across the state’s diverse agricultural landscape.
|
