The threat of screwworm, fewer cattle, and land changes are all part of a bigger story - Email 3

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November 26, 2025

This is the 3rd email of our email series that we hope has grabbed your attention:

To the Families We Serve,

Last week, we opened this six-part series on what’s driving beef prices nationwide — and why, here at Cunningham Pastured Meats, we’ve made the decision not to raise prices in 2025.

We began with a look at the largest land ownership transfer in American history — as aging ranchers sell and investment firms purchase the ground once passed down through generations. It’s a seismic shift.

Recap from previous weeks:

An aging farming community colliding with a retirement wave of ranchers,
The largest land-ownership transfer in U.S. history, and how fewer hands are available to keep cattle on the range.
An industry that prioritizes mass production without considering the implications of the negative impacts on fertility to sustain a healthy herd.

We also reminded our readers that this is a conversation worth having at your dinner table, because what happens out on the ranch affects what happens on your plate.

Scroll down to read more about another stressor on ranchers - the threat of New World Screwworm.

🪰 The Screwworm Threat: A Silent Stressor on Ranchers

For decades, the New World Screwworm was an agricultural success story — a pest eradicated through science and persistence. But now, it’s back in the headlines… and back on ranchers’ minds.

The backstory of the issue begins with the import of cattle. Many people do not realize that a massive number of animals come from South America, and while these cattle are dispersed nationwide, they are particularly destined for ranches or feedlots in Texas, where they are either sent to feedlots or taken straight to the slaughterhouse.

Why does this matter? What the average consumer doesn't realize is that the USDA currently puts the country of origin as the USA even though these cattle are imported. Prior to the Country of Origin (COOL laws in 2008, cattle had to be raised and processed in the US to be considered US Country of Origin.

Since 2008, when COOL laws changed,

People now have no real idea

of the country of origin

of their meat.

Why does this matter?

Since November of last year, the new world screwworm has been discovered in cattle in Mexico.

This parasitic fly does not hurt people, but lays eggs in the live flesh wounds of cattle.

In short, the screwworm preys on live animals.

Once hatched, the larvae feed on living tissue — a slow, devastating process that, if not caught early, can kill an animal.

To prevent a U.S. outbreak, federal officials have suspended live cattle imports from Mexico, a major source of feeder cattle for domestic processors.

Add to this that the government is releasing sterile flies to mitigate the issue. Ivermectin is another intervention.

Either way, cattle prices are at an all time high because we are no longer filling the gap in the U.S. cattle market by importing from the Southern Border.

That’s a smart precaution — but it comes at a cost: fewer cattle entering the system, tighter supply, and mounting pressure on ranchers already stretched thin.

To truly understand what’s happening, you have to zoom out. The U.S. cattle herd now sits at roughly 87 million head — the lowest since 1951.

It’s a perfect storm: fewer ranchers, fewer cows, and an industry increasingly controlled by large processors rather than local producers who are willing or able to endure these challenges over generations.

💚 Why It Matters to You

When supply falls, prices rise — but the deeper loss for the "go big or get out" industry is in quality and integrity.

That’s why we’re standing firm this year:

✅ No price hikes in 2025
✅ No shortcuts in feed or finishing
✅ No compromise on what “Meat You Can Trust” means

This isn’t just economics — it’s a matter of legacy, stewardship, and community. The negative implications of these trends will surely shape the future of food in our valley and across the West; and not in a way God or the free range, regenerative community of ranchers intend.

Remember, when you choose Cunningham Pastured Meats, you’re not just buying beef — you’re preserving a way of life, supporting family ranchers who still believe that how you raise food matters.

👀 Coming Next Week

In part four of this series, we’ll examine another pressure point: independent US cattle ranchers believe they can meet the demand for more cattle, but federal lands, which make up the majority of the West, restrict grazing.

Stay tuned for the fourth email:
How restrictions on public grazing lands in the West are squeezing small ranchers and limiting the open space herds need to thrive.

Until then, thank you for standing with us, learning with us, and sharing these stories around your own table.

Take Me to Email 4 of the Series:

Email 4 of Six

Full 2026: Series on The Big Grass Fire "It Starts with a Spark!"

Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Standing Together During the Big Grass Fire When wildfires threaten our communities, they don’t stop to ask whose land they’re on. They move quickly, changing lives in a matter of hours. But in rural communities like ours, something else moves just as quickly—neighbors stepping up to help neighbors. As the Big Grass Fire continues to impact parts of Idaho and Oregon, Sean Cunningham of Cunningham Pastured Meats has joined countless ranchers, volunteers, firefighters, and first responders working tirelessly to support those directly affected. But, in spite of the effort to mitigate the damages, the devastation is real to life and property. While the Cunningham ranch has not been directly impacted by the fire, Sean has been spending long days assisting neighboring ranchers whose grazing lands, livestock, fences, and livelihoods have been threatened. Whether helping protect cattle, building fire lines, moving equipment, or supporting firefighting efforts wherever needed, the work reflects something deeply rooted in ranching culture: when one neighbor is hurting, everyone shows up. With but a brief reunion with Sean after his 3 days of fire service. As you can imagine, while Sean is all smiles to finally be home for some much-needed rest, tears were shed by the littles in his reunion with the family! As many of you know, Liz and Sean, while still only in their late 30s, have seven children and one on the way. To date, Liz and Sean have spent days apart, each taking on the role in their own capacity against the fires. Sean on the dozer in the field and Liz capturing the story in a digital war to garner the attention of news agencies like KTVB7, the Lt. Governor's office, the White House, electric company CEOs and others for much needed assistance and support for the communities who are now at the mercy of a rogue grass fire, The Big Grass Fire and simultaneous fires stretching thousands of acres throughout the Jordan Valley and beyond. That spirit of service and capitalizing on each person's strengths to wage the war against the fires is nothing new to ranchers. Across the West, ranchers have long been among the first to respond when wildfire strikes. Their knowledge of the land, equipment, water sources, and terrain often makes them invaluable partners alongside local, state, and federal fire crews. Many volunteer through Rangeland Fire Protection Associations, organizations that have become an essential part of wildfire response throughout Oregon and Idaho. These partnerships help firefighters respond more quickly while protecting communities, grazing lands, wildlife habitat, and homes. For ranching families, these fires aren’t simply headlines—they’re deeply personal. A single fire can erase years of stewardship, destroy fencing, eliminate forage needed to feed cattle, and disrupt generations of hard work. Yet even in the face of tremendous loss, ranchers continue helping one another because that’s simply what neighbors do. We are incredibly grateful to every firefighter, volunteer, dispatcher, law enforcement officer, ranch family, and community member working around the clock to protect lives and property. Their courage and commitment remind us that the strength of rural communities isn’t measured only by the land we steward—it’s measured by the people willing to stand together when it matters most. Please continue keeping the families directly affected by these fires in your thoughts and prayers. Recovery will take time, but our communities have always been built on resilience, compassion, and a willingness to lend a hand. As of Wednesday July 29, 2026 at 8 am the non-official update includes official agencies holding the line with the yellow circles area in the image below a wild card. With potential winds pushing north again, critical barriers may not be enough to hold the fire from encroaching on Silver City. The blue circled area on a post seen here with images is the most difficult to manage, with juniper trees, canyons, and rock formations making it difficult terrain to navigate intervention and support. See more details and images here From all of us at Cunningham Pastured Meats and Cliff’s Country Market, thank you to everyone serving on the front lines and behind the scenes. We are honored to stand alongside a community that continues to embody the very best of what it means to be neighbors helping neighbors. We continue to remain steadfast in prayer in the midst of a very active and devastating fire season.Watch Sean's interview with KTVB news.

The threat of screwworm, fewer cattle, and land changes are all part of a bigger story - Email 3

Recap from previous weeks:

🪰 The Screwworm Threat: A Silent Stressor on Ranchers

💚 Why It Matters to You

More from the blog

Full 2026: Series on The Big Grass Fire "It Starts with a Spark!"

Full 2026: 6 week series is housed here: real food, real health, and why quality meat matters

Why Beef Prices Are Rising Across America — The Full Cunningham Ranch 6-Week Series