As New World screwworm continues spreading, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, Kansas State University, North American Deer Farmers Association, American Sheep Industry Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Kansas Department of Agriculture are investing $269,560 in a Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research grant to identify the livestock, wildlife and management practices most vulnerable to infestation. The project will provide producers and animal health officials with evidence-based tools to prioritize surveillance, producer preparedness and improve response efforts in the U.S.
The reemergence of New World screwworm in the U.S. presents an urgent threat to U.S. livestock and wildlife. The parasitic fly larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe pain, secondary infections and, if untreated, death. To protect U.S. producers’ profitability and the food supply chain, identifying the highest-risk species and production systems is critical to directing resources where they can have the greatest impact.
“New World screwworm reemergence in the U.S. makes producer preparedness more important than ever,” said Dr. Jasmine Bruno, FFAR scientific program director. “By identifying where this parasite poses the greatest risk, this research will help producers, animal health officials and veterinarians make faster, more informed decisions to strengthen surveillance, target prevention efforts and reduce impacts.”
Led by Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro, K-State professor of veterinary epidemiology and director of the Center for Outcomes Research and Epidemiology, and Dr. Andrea Dixon, K-State associate director of research and analytical services, researchers are reviewing and conducting a meta-analysis of scientific literature, surveillance records and host distribution data to identify the animal species, production systems and husbandry practices most at risk. The research team will also develop an interactive tool that allows stakeholders to visualize vulnerability across species and production settings, helping guide surveillance and response decisions.
“We are thankful for FFAR’s investment and for the strong partnership of our producer organizations and animal health agencies,” said Dr. Cernicchiaro. “Their expertise and collaboration help ensure this research addresses the most pressing questions facing U.S. agriculture. By working together, we can deliver practical, evidence-based information that helps producers and decision-makers better prepare and respond to New World screwworm.”
FFAR is investing in this research to support USDA’s research priority on Protecting the Integrity of American Agriculture from Invasive Species. This research aims to identify the species, production systems and management practices most vulnerable to New World screwworm infestation, providing evidence-based guidance to improve surveillance, preparedness and response.
FFAR’s ROAR program rapidly funds research and outreach in response to emerging or unanticipated threats to the U.S. food supply or agricultural systems.
Facts Only
* The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, Kansas State University, North American Deer Farmers Association, American Sheep Industry Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Kansas Department of Agriculture invested $269,560 in a Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research grant.
* The project aims to identify livestock, wildlife, and management practices most vulnerable to New World screwworm infestation.
* The research will provide evidence-based tools for producers and animal health officials to prioritize surveillance, producer preparedness, and response efforts in the U.S.
* Researchers are reviewing scientific literature, surveillance records, and host distribution data through a meta-analysis.
* The research team plans to develop an interactive tool to visualize vulnerability across species and production settings.
* The project supports the USDA’s research priority on Protecting the Integrity of American Agriculture from Invasive Species.
* Dr. Jasmine Bruno stated that identifying risk helps producers, officials, and veterinarians make faster decisions regarding surveillance and prevention.
* Dr. Cernicchiaro and Dr. Dixon are leading the research team.
Executive Summary
An investment of $269,560 has been allocated through a Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research grant to identify livestock, wildlife, and management practices most vulnerable to New World screwworm infestation. This funding involves collaboration among the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, Kansas State University, the North American Deer Farmers Association, the American Sheep Industry Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Kansas Department of Agriculture. The goal is to develop evidence-based tools for producers and animal health officials to prioritize surveillance, producer preparedness, and response efforts in the U.S.
Researchers, led by Dr. Natalia Cernicchiaro and Dr. Andrea Dixon from K-State, are currently reviewing scientific literature, surveillance records, and host distribution data through a meta-analysis to pinpoint at-risk animal species, production systems, and husbandry practices. They plan to develop an interactive tool to visualize vulnerability across various settings to guide decision-making for surveillance and response. The research supports the USDA’s priority on protecting American agriculture from invasive species, aiming to improve preparedness against New World screwworm threats.
Full Take
The mobilization of significant funding across diverse producer and governmental entities signals a shared recognition of an acute, tangible threat to the U.S. agricultural ecosystem. The effort shifts the focus from general awareness to targeted, actionable intelligence by seeking to map specific vulnerabilities in species and management systems. The creation of an interactive visualization tool moves the research outcome beyond academic literature into practical operational necessity, suggesting a structural need for integrated, cross-sectoral data sharing to effectively manage invasive species. The dynamic between researchers, industry associations, and state agriculture agencies underscores a complex negotiation: translating scientific identification into immediate, equitable action among stakeholders who operate under different priorities—profitability versus public health.
The pattern observed is the structuring of risk mitigation as a collaborative data-driven mandate, leveraging academic rigor to enforce applied policy response. The underlying assumption is that effective management requires pinpoint accuracy, which necessitates breaking down traditional silos between research, industry, and regulatory bodies. The cost structure suggests that the cost of inaction (potential livestock loss, supply chain disruption) is currently weighed against the investment for prevention, framing preparedness not as an optional expense but as a necessary prerequisite for economic stability.
What data sources are most likely to be contested or siloed when trying to achieve this comprehensive visualization? How will the resulting interactive tool be adopted uniformly across organizations with varying scales of operational capacity? What historical precedent exists for cross-sectoral agreements in managing rapidly evolving biological threats, and how might existing governance structures either facilitate or impede this necessary coordination?
Sentinel — Human
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