Texas ranchers are staring down a growing threat: the New World Screwworm, a parasitic fly that infects livestock and causes painful, often fatal wounds. The USDA has confirmed the fly is now just 100 miles south of the Texas border—and if it crosses over, it could devastate our $15 billion cattle industry and countless rural livelihoods.

But instead of backing proven science, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is promoting his own trap-and-bait method that the USDA has already tested and rejected. In side-by-side tests, his traps caught one screwworm fly. USDA’s method caught thousands.

Miller has gone on national TV to attack the USDA and push his unproven alternative—despite no clear evidence it works. Meanwhile, federal and state agencies are racing to stop the screwworm with a coordinated plan that includes sterile fly production and targeted prevention, strategies that have been effective for decades.

This is no time for political stunts or personal promotion. Texas livestock are at risk, and every delay in response could lead to an outbreak with massive economic and animal welfare consequences.

We’re calling on Commissioner Sid Miller and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to put politics aside and cooperate on a unified, science-based plan to keep screwworm out of Texas. That means fully supporting the USDA’s proven sterile fly program—not wasting time on ineffective bait.

Governor Greg Abbott has already established a Texas Screwworm Response Team, but without alignment at every level, our livestock remain vulnerable. The cattle industry cannot afford infighting or distractions.

This isn’t just about agriculture. It’s about rural jobs, food security, and responsible leadership. Texans need to know their elected officials are working together—not gambling with our future.

Sign this petition to demand real leadership, real science, and real protection for Texas cattle before it’s too late.