🪰 The Screwworm Threat: A Silent Stressor on Ranchers

Recap from last week

We talked about the 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. We reminded you: this is a conversation worth having at your dinner table, because what happens out on the ranch affects what happens on your plate. If you're interested in reading our six-week series exploring “Why cattle prices are skyrocketing” and what it means for you, our community, and our commitment at Cunningham Pastured Meats. Be sure to check out Cunningham Pastured Meats and sign up for our weekly email. 

Deep dive on this week’s topic: The Screwworm Threat & What It Means for Ranchers

There’s a silent, creeping challenge on the horizon: the New World Screwworm (NWS). This pest was eradicated in the U.S. decades ago. But now, like a storm brewing out west, it’s creeping northward from Mexico and Central America—threatening cattle producers across the U.S. if it breaches the line. 

Here’s what ranchers like us are watching closely:

• The fly lays eggs in open wounds of livestock; the larvae feed on living tissue, causing severe injury or death. 

• While Idaho’s high desert range keeps us a bit above the front-line threat, the ripple effects already matter here: fewer imports of feeder cattle, tighter supply across the West, and increased risk. 

• For our ranch at Jordan Valley and for many small producers across Southwest Idaho, we are focused on protecting herd health, maintaining grass-finished models, and absorbing costs so your beef stays at the quality you expect.

• The national risk factors push the entire supply chain tighter — fewer animals available, more pressure on every ranch, and ultimately greater vulnerability to price increases if we don’t act responsibly now.

Why this matters to you

You’ve supported us because you believe in beef raised with care—grass-fed, grass-finished, on rugged land in Jordan Valley, Oregon. We want you to know that we’re paying attention to the hazards so we can continue delivering that quality, and not be forced to sell you something lesser or raise prices prematurely. At Cunningham Ranch, we’re not raising our prices right now—but we’re watching every variable so we can keep our promise to you.

What we’re doing

• Monitoring every animal for early signs of distress or pest vulnerability.

• Strengthening our herd’s nutrition and resilience in our high-desert grazing country.

• Investing in fencing, bio-security, and best practices to keep no animal left behind.

• Staying transparent with you—so you know the story behind your steak.

Thank you for continuing to trust us with your dinner table. The more you know, the stronger our connection becomes. We’ll pick this back up next week when we dive into another factor: how the U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest since the 1940s—and what that means for climate-resilient operations like ours.

🐄 Sources & Further Reading

• USDA APHIS – New World Screwworm Information Page

• AgAmerica – What U.S. Cattle Producers Need to Know About the Screwworm Threat

• Texas A&M AgriLife – Understanding the New World Screwworm

• Mississippi State University Extension – Screwworm Threat Halts Cattle Imports from Mexico

Warmly,
Liz Cunningham
Cunningham Pastured Meats