Meriwether Farms reports a rapidly developing response by local officials in Texas as concerns grow over the New World screwworm. According to the story, three Texas counties have already declared local states of disaster related to the infestation risk and the expected impacts on livestock and related agriculture. The counties named in the update are Kinney, Jim Webb, and Uvalde.
The announcement reflects the urgency of the situation as counties seek to marshal resources, coordinate responses, and potentially unlock emergency support mechanisms tied to disaster declarations. In these declarations, officials signal that they believe the threat is serious enough to require immediate local-level action and heightened preparedness. While the details of the operational steps are not fully spelled out in the excerpt, the declarations themselves indicate that the counties are treating the screwworm issue as an active, time-sensitive emergency rather than a distant or theoretical risk.
The update also notes that the disaster posture is not limited to the three counties that have already acted. Three additional counties are described as being in the process of pending disaster declarations: Webb, La Salle, and Val Verde. This suggests that the situation is spreading or that additional areas are evaluating the same concerns, likely based on monitoring, proximity to affected zones, and potential vulnerability of livestock operations.
A key element driving the declarations is the counties’ stated belief that they are not getting the level of support they need. The excerpt indicates that the reasoning behind the local disaster declarations is tied to a perceived gap in assistance or response capacity. In other words, county officials appear to feel that current help—whether in logistics, funding, supplies, coordination, or other emergency support—does not match the scale or urgency of the screwworm threat. As a result, declaring a local state of disaster becomes a way to formally document need, increase local authority to respond, and potentially prompt faster or expanded support.
The New World screwworm is widely viewed as a significant animal health concern because it can affect livestock, causing injury and raising serious economic stakes for producers. When screwworms pose a risk, farmers and ranchers may need rapid intervention to prevent infestation and limit harm to animals, while local governments may need coordination across public agencies, veterinary services, and emergency response partners. In that context, disaster declarations can be seen as a step toward accelerating response and clarifying responsibilities.
By highlighting both already-declared counties and those that are pending, the report underscores that the emergency response framework is evolving quickly across South and West Texas. Kinney, Jim Webb, and Uvalde have moved first, while Webb, La Salle, and Val Verde are next in line, implying that officials expect the issue to require continued attention beyond the initial wave of filings.
Overall, the story portrays a local government-driven escalation in response to the New World screwworm threat. Counties appear to be acting not only because of the concern itself, but also because of frustration with the level of assistance they perceive they are receiving. That combination—immediacy of risk plus perceived inadequacy of support—has led to a growing set of disaster-related actions across Texas counties.
The update is framed as a breaking development, reinforcing that the number of counties considering or pursuing disaster declarations could continue to change. Producers and residents in the named areas may want to pay close attention to further announcements, as pending declarations could bring additional resources, new coordination efforts, and clearer guidance on local response measures.
Source: Meriwether Farms
Meriwether Farms: BREAKING: Three counties in Texas have declared local state of disaster declarations on the New World Screwworm: Kinney, Jim Webb and Uvalde Three others are pending: Webb, La Salle and Val Verde The reasoning behind these declarations is because they feel they are not getting. #breaking
— @MeriwetherFarms May 1, 2026
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