Texas Border Business
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas — As federal and state officials intensify efforts to stop the spread of the New World screwworm in Texas, the United States Department of Agriculture has turned to Texas cattleman, food safety entrepreneur and Texas A&M University System Regent John Bellinger to help lead the response.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Monday that President Donald J. Trump has appointed Bellinger as Senior Advisor for New World Screwworm Preparedness, a role that will support USDA’s ongoing efforts to contain and eradicate the destructive livestock pest.
The appointment places a longtime Texas A&M leader and agricultural expert at the center of one of the nation’s most significant animal health and livestock protection efforts in decades.
“When agriculture faces serious challenges, the country often turns to Texas and to Texas A&M,” said Chancellor Glenn Hegar. “John Bellinger brings decades of experience in cattle production, food safety and animal agriculture to this fight. He understands what is at stake for ranchers, rural communities and the nation’s food supply, and he understands how to bring people together to solve problems.
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae can infest livestock and wildlife, creating serious economic and animal health concerns if not aggressively contained and eradicated.
Bellinger said the threat must be taken seriously but emphasized that consumers should remain confident in American beef products.
“This is a real threat to cattle production and animal health, and we are going to attack it aggressively,” Bellinger said. “But Texans and consumers across the country should also know this clearly: American beef is safe, Texas beef is safe, and Texas produces the best beef in the world. Our ranchers, veterinarians, researchers and animal health professionals are working together right now to protect that industry and keep it strong.
The fight against screwworm is not new to Texas A&M. Texas A&M Former Student, Dr. Edward F. Knipling ’30 helped co-develop the sterile insect technique as a USDA entomologist, this technique drove the pest out of the United States nearly 60 years ago and transformed livestock protection around the world. As the nation confronts the threat again, Texas A&M expertise is helping lead the response.
“Texas A&M was built to serve the people of Texas by solving real problems,” Hegar said. “This is exactly the kind of moment where that mission matters.”
Regent Bellinger is expected to help lead coordination efforts involving USDA, the State of Texas and the Texas A&M System as officials work to accelerate testing, field response, producer outreach and long-term preparedness. The Texas Animal Health Commission remains the lead animal health response agency, while the Texas Division of Emergency Management is coordinating broader state support efforts.
Texas A&M AgriLife has spent more than a year preparing for the possible return of screwworm through a coordinated task force involving AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension, TVMDL, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. As response efforts expand, Texas A&M experts are also helping evaluate future diagnostic, research and sterile-fly production needs aimed at strengthening long-term readiness. These Texas A&M System teams are now playing an elevated role in the state and federal response following confirmation of New World screwworm in South Texas.
The A&M System is already moving resources toward the border region. Diagnostic equipment from the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory is being deployed to Uvalde, while AgriLife Extension is standing up training for Extension agents supporting animal inspection and producer education efforts. Chancellor Hegar has directed the System to move quickly and provide the resources necessary to support the response.
Producer groups across Texas remain concerned but prepared and continue looking to Texas A&M for practical, science-based guidance. The response reflects the A&M System’s land-grant mission in action: research, diagnostics, Extension outreach and service during a major agricultural and animal health challenge.
Bellinger was appointed to the Texas A&M System Board of Regents by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2023 and currently serves as chair of the Board’s Committee on Research. He is the former co-founder and CEO of Food Safety Net Services and has spent decades working in the cattle, meat export and food safety industries.
To view U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announce Regent Bellinger’s appointment, visit the USDA Streaming Media Archive.
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