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Commissioners discuss possible public hearing on screw‑worm outbreak after state extension alert
Summary
County officials said Texas A&M extension warned of a potentially serious screw‑worm problem; the court discussed planning a public hearing and outreach and noted letters to USDA seeking federal response.
Atascosa County commissioners discussed preparing public outreach and possibly holding a public hearing after county officials said Texas A&M extension staff warned that a screw‑worm outbreak could become severe.
The presiding official (reading comments from county leadership) said he had spoken with Dale Rankin of the Texas A&M extension service and that officials do not want to cause panic but do want to provide information. The official said some parties had sent a strongly worded letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and that the county may schedule a public hearing to inform residents and agricultural stakeholders.
Why it matters: screw‑worm infestations can cause severe livestock losses; the county indicated it is monitoring the situation and considering outreach and a hearing to explain potential impacts and response options. The presiding official referenced historical eradication efforts in the 1960s and 1970s that used sterile‑fly releases and said extension staff had warned this outbreak may be as bad or worse.
No formal directive, funding allocation, or emergency declaration was recorded during the meeting. The court asked staff to consider public information steps; a date for any hearing was not set in the record. The presiding official named local and federal contacts and said the county is preparing to coordinate information to avoid undue alarm while ensuring residents understand the risk.
