New Epidemic Headed toward the US: The Screwworm Cattle Crisis

In this urgent and insight-packed episode of the National Land Podcast, host Mac Christian sits down with Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), to talk about everything from cattle markets and advocacy to an emerging threat few saw coming: the resurgence of the New World screwworm.

Colin outlines NCBA’s deep-rooted history dating back to 1898 and how it remains the largest and most influential cattle producer organization in the U.S., representing over 270,000 cattle producers across all 50 states. The conversation spans major ongoing concerns in the beef industry, including:

• Beef market trends in 2025 and how high demand, limited herd supply, and rising quality have kept prices strong.

• The delays in the Farm Bill and its implications for ranchers and producers, especially the crucial funding for Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine banks.

• How water scarcity, drought conditions, and aquifer depletion are shaping the cattle landscape—and what producers are doing to adapt.

• The rise of niche beef markets like grass-fed, locally sourced, and hormone-free, and how they're driving demand and providing new revenue for producers.

• A deep dive into the New World Screw Worm crisis: what it is, why it’s dangerous, how it re-emerged, and what the cattle industry must do now to stop it.

• The role of NCBA in advocacy, public awareness, technology integration, and emergency response in the face of this new biological threat.

Colin also shares how NCBA is leading national response efforts, from lobbying for sterile fly production to helping producers identify, treat, and report infestations. It’s a critical listen for landowners, cattle producers, ag investors, and anyone concerned with rural land health, agricultural policy, or the food supply chain.

Visit the NCBA Website

New World Screwworm Resources

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