Reps. French Hill (AR-02), Rick Crawford (AR-01), Bruce Westerman (AR-04), and Steve Womack (AR-03) have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, expressing appreciation for the department’s quick response to the northward spread of New World Screwworm (NWS). The lawmakers also urged the USDA to consider establishing a domestic NWS production facility in the United States.
Rep. Hill stated, “Protecting Arkansas ranchers and farmers from the devastating impacts screwworms would have on their livestock is critical, which is why I raised their concerns with senior officials during my recent trip to Mexico. The Trump Administration and Secretary Rollins have responded swiftly and effectively, and I’m confident they’ll give full consideration to a domestic screwworm production facility. Investing in American infrastructure puts our farmers and ranchers first, puts America first, and strengthens our national security.”
The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly that can cause severe wounds or death in livestock if left untreated. The pest was eradicated from the United States in the 1960s but has recently been detected north of its containment barrier in Panama, reaching southern Mexico.
In March 2025, due to concerns about NWS, the USDA suspended livestock imports from Mexico. Subsequently, plans were announced for a dispersal facility in south Texas aimed at releasing sterile NWS flies to halt reproduction. While this dispersal facility has been planned domestically, there is not yet a domestic production facility for sterile NWS.
Secretary Rollins outlined broader measures in June 2025 intended to prevent further spread of NWS into the United States. These included considering an NWS production facility as part of ongoing efforts to protect American agriculture.
French Hill has represented Arkansas’s 2nd Congressional District since 2015 after succeeding Tim Griffin. Born in Little Rock in 1956, Hill continues to reside there and holds a degree from Vanderbilt University.
The letter encourages further action by USDA leaders as part of continued efforts to safeguard livestock herds both in Arkansas and across the country.
