Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday expanded a statewide disaster declaration in response to the New World screwworm’s arrival in Texas.

The expanded declaration authorizes the use of “all available resources of state government to respond to this disaster,” Abbott said shortly before signing the declaration during a news conference from Austin.

The order further reassigns all resources from across the state as needed and makes available all state personnel, including those from university systems, to speed the shipment of sterile flies into Texas and the construction of a sterile fly facility in South Texas.

The sterile flies are intended to break the reproduction cycle of the parasitic fly.

The state is prioritizing resources for Zavala County, where the first case of screwworm in Texas was confirmed this week, and nearby Uvalde County.

An “infested zone” surrounds the Zavala County and Nueces River site where the infested animal was located . A much wider surveillance zone — including Uvalde, Lima Grande and Crystal City — surrounds the infested area.

The governor’s expanded disaster proclamation follows a series of emergency declarations by county judges, including those in Kinney, Jim Webb and Uvalde counties.

State law gives broad authority to the Texas governor and health commissioner in times of crisis, including the ability to waive laws that hinder state agencies’ ability to appropriately respond to screwworms.

A sample from a 3-week-old calf from La Pryor in Zavala County tested positive for the country’s first case of New World screwworm, U.S Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said June 3.

There have been no other detections so far.

The USDA said in a social media post earlier that it had activated personnel on the ground and was working with local partners. The federal agency also said issues with screwworms shouldn’t immediately cause food supply chain issues, as screwworms do not infect meat, fruits or vegetables.

However, an outbreak of screwworm threatens to do $1.8 billion in damage to Texas’ economy, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture estimate. This potential fly pandemic could also increase already record-high beef prices nationwide, given the state’s importance to the cattle industry.

Screwworm in the flesh of an infested animal will cause significant damage to the wound, as flies repeatedly cycle in and out, lay eggs, and enlarge the wound, leading to illness and death.

Even if the animal survives, there’s usually extensive damage to the animal’s hide and health.

Cattle are particularly susceptible to screwworm due to their inability to protect an open wound, and their large frame can allow eggs to develop in multiple locations from a single cut.

“Texas livestock producers and all Texans must now be vigilant in their efforts to manage and combat the invasive pest,” Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said in a statement after screwworm had been confirmed in Texas.

Some South Texas officials are frustrated by what they say has been a lack of communication from the USDA up to this point.

“It’s a complete lack of information,” said Val Verde County Judge Lewis Owens.

As cases of screwworm have continued to pop up in Mexico, some within 100 miles of the Texas border, Owens said border counties have been kept in the dark over the exact location of the cases. The situation, he said, has left them unable to provide answers to their communities.

“A little bit of communication goes a long way,” Owens said.?”If we know what the hell's going on, then I can tell my constituents. If we don't, then the anger goes up.”

Owens has also taken issue with Rollins’ blaming the proliferation of screwworm on President Joe Biden’s “open border” policies, which she said enabled the illicit movement of cattle throughout Mexico.

“These flies do not fly to new areas on their own,” Rollins said during a call with media and officials on Thursday. “If they move, it’s because they are moving with the animal.”

Owens said the ports of entry have been closed to cattle imports from Mexico since 2024. The USDA first closed the ports in November 2024 under the Biden administration. The Trump administration announced their reopening in February 2025 only to shut them down again in May 2025.

Crossings have been shut down, he said, adding: “So, let's not keep blaming individuals or blaming other parties.”

Nowell Borders, an Edinburg rancher with ranches in Mexico, said he was concerned about his animals but was more worried about wildlife that will be much more difficult to catch and check for screwworm.

“Deer is a several billion dollar business in Texas and hunting, and I think it could be a detriment, a huge detriment to wildlife,” Borders said.

Borders owns a 100,000-square-foot facility in South Texas that he has offered as a pop up production facility for sterile flies.

Scientists say dispersing sterile screwworm flies is the most efficient way to eradicate the pest. The sterile male flies reproduce with female screwworm flies, which can mate only once in their lifetime, producing unviable eggs.

The USDA is building a facility in Edinburg that will produce 300 million sterile flies per week. However, that facility is not expected to begin operating until fall 2027.

Borders said a pop up facility on his property could be up and running in about a month. The federal government has, so far, not taken him up on his offer.

For now, he’d like the USDA and state partners to start dispersing sterile flies as far north as San Antonio as soon as possible.

“I think that's the most important thing you could get going,” Borders said. “They need a facility to start, like, last week.”

This story is developing. Check back for more updates.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.