Texas A&M Regent John Bellinger to lead fight against New World screwworm
U.S. Department of Agriculture selects Texas cattleman, food industry entrepreneur to drive response
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As federal and state officials intensify efforts to stop the spread of the New World screwworm in Texas, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, has turned to Texas cattleman, food safety entrepreneur and Texas A&M University System Regent John Bellinger ’76 ’78, to help lead the response.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced June 8 that President Donald Trump has appointed Bellinger as senior advisor for New World screwworm preparedness, a role that will support USDA’s ongoing efforts to contain and eradicate the destructive livestock pest.
The appointment places a longtime Texas A&M leader and agricultural expert at the center of one of the nation’s most significant animal health and livestock protection efforts in decades.
“When agriculture faces serious challenges, the country often turns to Texas and to Texas A&M,” said Texas A&M System Chancellor Glenn Hegar ’93. “John Bellinger brings decades of experience in cattle production, food safety and animal agriculture to this fight. He understands what is at stake for ranchers, rural communities and the nation’s food supply, and he understands how to bring people together to solve problems.”
New World screwworm threat
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae can infest livestock and wildlife, creating serious economic and animal health concerns if not aggressively contained and eradicated.
Bellinger said the threat must be taken seriously but emphasized consumers should remain confident in American beef products.
“This is a real threat to cattle production and animal health, and we are going to attack it aggressively,” Bellinger said. “Texans and consumers across the country should also know this clearly: American beef is safe, Texas beef is safe, and Texas produces the best beef in the world. Our ranchers, veterinarians, researchers and animal health professionals are working together right now to protect that industry and keep it strong.”
Texas A&M remains at the forefront of the battle
The fight against screwworm is not new to Texas A&M. Former student Edward Knipling ’30, Ph.D., helped co-develop the sterile insect technique as a USDA entomologist. This technique drove the pest out of the United States nearly 60 years ago and transformed livestock protection around the world. As the nation confronts the threat again, Texas A&M’s expertise is helping lead the response.
“Texas A&M was built to serve the people of Texas by solving real problems,” Hegar said. “This is exactly the kind of moment where that mission matters.”
Bellinger is expected to help lead coordination efforts involving USDA, the state of Texas and the Texas A&M System as officials work to accelerate testing, field response, producer outreach and long-term preparedness. The Texas Animal Health Commission remains the lead animal health response agency, while the Texas Division of Emergency Management is coordinating broader state support efforts.
Texas A&M AgriLife screwworm task force response
Texas A&M AgriLife has spent more than a year preparing for the possible return of screwworm through a coordinated task force involving Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Stay informed and prepared for New World screwworm
Explore fact sheets, reporting protocols and prevention tips from Texas A&M AgriLife experts.
As response efforts expand, Texas A&M experts are also helping evaluate future diagnostic, research and sterile-fly production needs aimed at strengthening long-term readiness. These Texas A&M System teams are now playing an elevated role in the state and federal response following confirmation of New World screwworm in South Texas.
Upon Hegar’s directive for The Texas A&M System to move quickly and provide the resources necessary to support the response, diagnostic equipment from TVMDL is being deployed to Uvalde, while AgriLife Extension is standing up training for county agents supporting animal inspection and producer education efforts.
Producer groups across Texas remain concerned but prepared and continue looking to Texas A&M for practical, science-based guidance. The response reflects the Texas A&M System’s land-grant mission in action: research, diagnostics, Extension outreach and service during a major agricultural and animal health challenge.
Bellinger background
Bellinger, a meat scientist and businessman, was appointed to the Texas A&M System Board of Regents by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2023 and currently serves as chair of the Board’s Committee on Research. He is the former co-founder and CEO of Food Safety Net Services, a company headquartered in San Antonio that conducts microbial and chemical testing and food-safety audits for the food and nutraceutical industries, which merged with Certified Group.
He founded Agri-West International and continues to serve as CEO. Agri-West International is an international and domestic marketing firm offering brokerage and consulting services for the food industry. He is the former chairman of the U.S. Meat Export Federation and the Southwest Meat Association as well as a board member of several private companies in the U.S., Mexico and Japan.
Bellinger earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education and his master’s in meat science. He is a recipient of the Texas A&M University Outstanding Alumnus Award in both the College of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Science, along with being inducted into the U.S. Meat Industry Hall of Fame.
To view Rollins’ announcement of Bellinger’s appointment, visit the USDA Streaming Media Archive.
This press release originally appeared on The Texas A&M University System website.
