After having no incidences with the New World screwworm since 1966, by the end of last week, USDA confirmed two US. infestations of the parasite affecting livestock in Texas, and by Monday of this week, screwworm infestations had increased to five in Texas, and a maggot was found in a New Mexico dog that reportedly had recently traveled to Mexico. One of the infestations was detected in a one-month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, which is about six miles from where the first infestation in the U.S. was confirmed last week. On Friday, Canada banned the import of all cattle, horses and other livestock that had been in Texas at any time over the previous 21 days, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for his state. The declaration authorizes the use of all available state government resources to respond to the presence of the screwworm outbreak. New World screwworm flies lay eggs that hatch into larvae, commonly known as maggots, and while most most fly maggots eat dead tissue, New World screwworm larvae attack live flesh in wounds and the navel cords of newborn calves. Prior to their eradication, New World screwworm flies were a recurring threat in Colorado, when adult screwworm flies were carried northward into Colorado on warm monsoon and storm winds from Texas and Mexico, but they couldn’t overwinter in the state because of freezing winter temperatures.
Last week, a coalition of 65 state and national agricultural organizations urged Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to eliminate countervailing duties on imported Moroccan phosphate fertilizers, citing soaring costs that are pushing family farms to the brink of collapse. They contend that US. agricultural producers are facing a continuing economic downturn due to a 30% drop in net farm income since 2022, while fertilizer prices increased 150% since 2020. The war with Iran has also caused fertilizer prices to spike. Since the war began, anhydrous ammonia prices have increased 30% to $1,118 a ton, and the average retail prices for all of the eight fertilizers that DTN tracks on a weekly basis have been higher since the war began. The administration’s response to higher fertilizer prices has been to reduce regulations on fertilizer companies that are planning expansions and announcing that USDA will reboot a fertilizer expansion program created by the Biden administration. But, these steps will take several years before domestic production will increase. In late May, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it is investigating the country's largest fertilizer manufacturers concerning the potential for anti-competitive behavior.
Last week, Donald Trump held a farmer round-table in Wisconsin, where he suggested that his administration is looking at another possible aid package for farmers. While he contends that all is well with the farm economy, USDA projects that farm income will decline slightly in 2026, even though se farm incomes will be buoyed by higher government payments. In May, a USDA farm income forecast projected that 2026 farm income would be $153.4 billion. That is down $1.2 billion from 2025. Farm cash receipts are projected to decrease by $24.3 billion, mainly due to lower receipts in the poultry and dairy sectors. But the lower cash receipts are projected to be offset by higher direct farm payments expected to amount to $44.3 billion for 2026, which is a $13.8-billion increase from 2025.
Canadian author Brian Brett wrote, “Farming is a profession of hope.”
