1. Flesh-eating screwworm detected 25 miles from US border in Mexico, USDA says
By Heather Schlitz
Reuters
June 2, 2026
CHICAGO, June 2 (Reuters) - A parasitic fly that eats warm-blooded animals alive and could cause millions of dollars in economic damage was found in Mexico within 25 miles of the U.S. border, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Tuesday.
The detection of New World Screwworm in ?a five-year-old goat in Mexico's Coahuila state further increases the threat facing the U.S. beef industry and cattle ranchers, who have monitored the flesh-eating fly's northward progress through Mexico for over a year. This is the closest confirmed case to the U.S. border during the most recent outbreak, Rollins told reporters on a call.
"There's no doubt that this is a very, very serious threat to our livestock," Rollins said.
USDA said on Friday that screwworm had been found in a young sheep in Mexico within 31 miles of the U.S. border.
2. Through a cow's eyes: Humane Handling Institute first in U.S. to use augmented reality goggles for animal handling training
Univ. of Wisconsin-River Falls
May 29, 2026
Have you ever wondered what the world looks like through the eyes of a cow? When your job is handling livestock, that information could be useful to know. That is the idea behind the augmented reality goggles being used to train animal handlers at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Humane Handling Institute (HHI), the first organization in North America to put the technology to use.
Ashlynn Kirk, program manager of HHI and a UWRF alum, learned about the goggles, called the Animal Eye Simulator, during a technology presentation at an animal care and handling conference in 2024. She knew they would be a great addition to the institute's training workshops and immediately began investigating the possibility of bringing them to HHI.
"The simulators allow the person that is wearing them to see the world like a cow would or a pig would or a horse would," Kirk said. "We wanted to incorporate them into our training for animal handling to build empathy and help people who handle livestock get a better idea what cattle are seeing and experiencing as they move through a facility."
Cows have wide peripheral vision that is sharpest when looking straight ahead. The colors they see are also different from human vision. They have dichromatic vision, meaning they only see in shades of yellow, brown and blue. Cows see light and shadows differently, too, and their eyes take longer to adjust to changes in light. Even for Kirk, who grew up handling cattle, the simulation was (literally) eye opening.
"When I put those goggles on for the first time, it completely changed my perspective," Kirk said.
3. USDA, Wildlife Disease Experts to Headline the 8th International Symposium on Animal Mortality Management
The symposium will take place in Stevens Point, Wisconsin from June 29 to July 2, 2026
MorningAgClips.com
June 1, 2026
STEVENS POINT, Wis. - Two nationally recognized leaders in animal health and wildlife disease ecology will headline the 2026 International Symposium on Animal Mortality Management (ISAMM), bringing deep expertise and real-world perspective to one of agriculture's most pressing challenges. The symposium will take place in Stevens Point, Wisconsin from June 29 to July 2, 2026.
Leading off the program will be Dr. Alan Franklin. He recently retired as Supervisory Research Biologist and project leader at USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Wildlife Research Center. Over his career, Franklin led research on the impacts of wildlife pathogens on agricultural and human health, with a strong focus on bridging wildlife ecology and disease dynamics.
Now a faculty affiliate at Colorado State University, Franklin continues to study antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and other pathogens in wildlife populations, particularly at the agricultural-wildlife interface. His keynote is expected to highlight the growing importance of understanding disease transmission between wildlife, livestock and humans, and the role that science-based management plays in mitigating those risks.
Also headlining the symposium is Dr. Alan Huddleston, Acting Chief Veterinary Officer for USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. Huddleston brings nearly two decades of experience in animal health leadership, policy development and emergency response.
4. Amy Swinford named interim head of Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases
Former Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory director to ensure continuity of research priorities
By Kay Ledbetter
AgriLife Today
June 1, 2026
Amy Swinford, DVM, director emeritus of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, will serve as the interim director for the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases, IIAD.
Her appointment was made after IIAD director Heather Simmons, DVM, passed away on May 6. Swinford started on June 1 and will remain in place until a permanent director is appointed.
IIAD research crosses many borders
Established as a global leader in veterinary services, IIAD works in translational research and development, with a focus on emerging zoonotic and transboundary animal diseases in the livestock-human-wildlife interface.
IIAD has trained over 500,000 domestic and international personnel in more than 90 countries in animal health, epidemiology, laboratory diagnostics and livestock industry concepts, including veterinary services professionals, graduate students and youth.
As interim director of IIAD, Swinford will supervise and coordinate all aspects of the institute's operations and its associated research priorities. She will oversee implementation of the institute's research agenda; coordinate research activities and initiatives with allied institutions, stakeholder associations and organizations; and represent the agency's interests in local and regional organizations.
5. Chelsea Good Named Executive Director of Kansas Dairy
Role Begins June 1 Through Good & Associates
Press Release
June 1, 1016
Kansas Dairy announced today that Chelsea Good has been selected as the next Executive Director of the Kansas Dairy Association and Kansas Dairy Commission, effective June 1, 2026.
Kansas Dairy is the unified brand of the Kansas Dairy Association and Kansas Dairy Commission, organizations that work together to represent and support dairy farmers across the state. The Kansas Dairy Association focuses on legislative and policy issues affecting the industry, while the Kansas Dairy Commission supports research, education, and information initiatives for Kansas dairy producers.
Good will serve in the role fractionally through Good & Associates, the agriculture-focused consulting firm she founded. In the role, she will provide strategic leadership for the organizations; oversee operations and communications; support board and member engagement; and work closely with dairy farmers, industry partners, and stakeholders across Kansas.
"We are excited to welcome Chelsea to Kansas Dairy," said Maggie Gilles, Chairman of the Kansas Dairy Commission. "Her background in association leadership, communications, animal health, agriculture policy, and relationship building make her an excellent fit for this role. We look forward to working alongside her to continue supporting Kansas dairy farmers and advancing the future of the dairy industry in our state."
Good is the Founder and CEO of Good & Associates, where she provides strategic advisory, advocacy, industry affairs, communications, and legal counsel for agriculture clients. Prior to launching her firm, Good served for more than twelve years as Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs and Legal for the Livestock Marketing Association. She also previously served as both Communications Director and Staff Attorney for the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
"I'm honored by the opportunity to support Kansas dairy producers and the important work of both the Association and Commission," Good said. "Kansas dairy farmers are innovative leaders who care deeply about their animals, their communities, and the future of agriculture. I look forward to working with producers and industry partners to continue the growth and success of the dairy sector in Kansas."
Good can be reached at Chelsea@GoodandAssoc.com or 785-480-0186.
6. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Texas Dairy Herd
First Dairy Cattle Case in Texas This Year
TAHC Press Release
June 2, 2026
AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) and United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) received confirmation of the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza
(HPAI) virus in diagnostic samples from a Texas dairy. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in Texas dairy cattle this year.
Following observed clinical signs, including sick cows and milk production drops, samples were submitted to the Texas
A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory on May 30,
2026.
The TAHC is working to conduct epidemiological investigations and evaluate the situation further. The dairy is currently
under quarantine as part of existing response protocols, and state and federal officials are working closely to mitigate
disease spread.
According to USDA APHIS, there is no concern that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health or the safety of the
commercial milk supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is confident that pasteurization is effective at
inactivating H5N1, and that the commercial, pasteurized milk supply is safe. Dairies are required to send only milk from
healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted from the
commercial milk tank or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply.
Full text: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/2026/2026-06-02_HPAI-Dairy.pdf