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Texas Animal Health Commission details screwworm preparedness, cattle-tick research and veterinary loan-removal support
Summary
The Texas Animal Health Commission outlined expanded preparedness for new world screwworms, progress on cattle-fever tick treatment trials and federal and state veterinary loan-repayment programs, and said several surveillance and response activities will continue into 2026.
The Texas Animal Health Commission on [meeting date not specified] received a broad operational update from Executive Director Dr. Dinges covering disease response, research and workforce incentives that the agency said will shape its work into 2026.
Dr. Dinges described two loan-repayment programs aimed at expanding rural veterinary capacity: the statefunded Rural Veterinary Incentive Program (RVIP), which offers up to $45,000 per year for each year of full-time veterinary service in eligible rural counties, and the federal Veterinary Medical Loan Repayment Program, which the agency said will resume a funded cycle in 2026 with awards that can include $40,000 per service year plus an additional tax-coverage payment (a three-year maximum was described in the briefing). “The program offers up to $45,000 for each year of full time veterinary service in rural counties in need of a veterinarian,” Dr. Dinges said.
On cattle-fever tick research, the agency summarized a field trial testing repeated-dose eprinomectin regimens. The first trial was moved from an uncontrolled refuge site to a USDA Agricultural Research Service facility in Edinburg to allow more controlled exposures and plasma sampling; additional sampling and analyses are expected to continue through January 2026. The executive director said the initial field trial concluded early because of uncontrolled variables and that the revised study will use fewer cattle but more intensive challenge and sampling to strengthen withdrawal-interval recommendations.
The commission also received a detailed update on new world screwworm activity in Mexico and binational response planning. Dr. Dinges reported that federal and Mexican agencies have identified thousands of cases in southern Mexico and several outlying detections tied to animal movements. USDA and Mexican authorities have adjusted sterile-fly dispersal polygons and opened both a facility in Tepic, Mexico, and a $8.5 million domestic dispersal facility under construction at Moore Air Base to expand aerial sterile-fly release capacity. The executive director said Texas continues regular coordination calls with USDA and other federal partners and is supporting surveillance and producer outreach along the border.
Dr. Dinges also noted supply and treatment issues: the agency was told a private producer indicated no nematodes would be available in the fall due to competing demand from the Florida citrus industry, creating a limitation on one experimental tool for tick control.
The executive director closed with an update on high-path avian influenza surveillance, reporting multi-state activity and ongoing silo sampling in Texas tied to the National Milk Testing Strategy. He said the agency is running the eighth round of silo testing and had submitted hundreds of samples to national labs, with state and federal partners coordinating follow-up if a positive silo is identified.
No formal regulatory action was taken as part of this presentation; the report was informational and commissioners asked clarifying questions but took no additional votes on the research or program items.
The commission scheduled continued coordination and indicated several surveillance and research efforts will produce new deliverables in early 2026.
