One of the biggest limitations I continue to see in organic grain and dairy systems—especially here in Texas and across the southern region—is not just fertility or weed control. It is genetics. We simply do not have corn hybrids that are truly adapted to our heat, drought, and water-limited environments.
A new on-farm project as part of a Southern SARE grant is being led by Seth Fortenberry (New Deal Grain) is working directly on that problem. This work is supported through the Southern SARE program, which is designed to fund practical, on-farm research that can be quickly adopted by other farmers—making it a strong fit for advancing organic systems in our region.
What This Project Is About
This on-farm project is focused on building local hybrid corn seed production for organic systems. Instead of relying on seed developed and produced in the Midwest, the goal is to produce non-GMO hybrid seed right here in the South, under the same conditions farmers actually face.
A key part of this project—and one I think is worth highlighting—is the direct connection to public plant breeding. The hybrids being used in this work, including TAMZ106 and TAMZ107, were developed by Dr. Wenwei Xu, Texas A&M AgriLife Research corn breeder in Lubbock. His program has focused heavily on stress tolerance—heat, drought, and disease—which is exactly what our organic systems require in this region.
Why This Matters to Organic Farmers
From my perspective, this is where things get interesting.
Better adaptation – Hybrids developed by Dr. Xu are bred under Texas High Plains conditions, not Midwest environments
Improved water use – Critical for anyone pulling from the Ogallala
Stronger performance under stress – Organic systems don’t have “rescue tools,” so genetics matter more
Public breeding impact – This project creates a direct pathway for AgriLife-developed genetics to reach organic farmers
Local seed supply – Keeps value in our region and reduces dependence on outside companies
In simple terms, this project is trying to align genetics (G) with management (M) and environment (E)—something we know makes a big difference in organic systems.
What to Expect Moving Forward
This project is just getting started, but over the next two years we will be:
Producing parent lines and hybrid seed under organic conditions
Testing hybrids on working organic farms
Hosting field days and sharing results
Building toward a reliable regional seed supply
I will be involved on the Extension side—helping get information out, organizing field days, and making sure growers can see and evaluate this work in real conditions.
Final Thought
If we are serious about growing organic production in Texas and the southern region, we have to address seed. This project is a practical step in that direction—connecting public breeding with real-world organic production.
And I would add this—projects like this only work because of long-term investment in breeding programs like Dr. Xu’s. Without that foundation, we would not have the genetics to even begin this conversation.
More to come as we get into the field this season.
Sorghum’s natural characteristics and compatibility with organic farming principles indeed make it an excellent crop for organic cultivation. While some traits like drought tolerance and non-GMO status are shared with conventional sorghum, these characteristics synergize particularly well with the goals and methods of organic agriculture, offering distinct advantages.
Drought Tolerance: Sorghum’s inherent drought tolerance makes it an ideal crop for organic systems, which prioritize water conservation and efficient use.
Low Fertilizer Needs: Sorghum’s ability to thrive in less fertile soils matches well with organic farming, which relies on natural fertility management rather than synthetic fertilizers.
Natural Resistance to Pests and Diseases: Sorghum’s inherent resistance to many pests and diseases minimizes the need for synthetic pesticides, making it easier for organic farmers to manage their crops.
Versatility in Use: Sorghum can be utilized in a variety of ways (grain, syrup, fodder) which allows organic producers to cater to diverse markets (food, feed, sweeteners) under organic labels.
Contribution to Soil Health: Sorghum’s deep rooting system can improve soil structure and increase water infiltration, beneficial effects that are particularly valued in organic systems focused on long-term soil health.
Crop Rotation and Diversity: Sorghum fits well into crop rotations, a cornerstone of organic farming, helping break pest and disease cycles and improving soil health without relying on chemical inputs.
Consumer Preference for Non-GMO: Even though there is no GMO sorghum on the market, the strong consumer preference for non-GMO products benefits organic sorghum producers, as their products are guaranteed to meet this demand.
Growing Demand for Organic Grains: The increasing consumer demand for organic products extends to grains, including sorghum, for both human consumption and organic animal feed.
Carbon Sequestration: Sorghum’s growth habit and biomass production can contribute to carbon sequestration, aligning with the environmental sustainability goals of organic farming.
While many of sorghum’s traits benefit both conventional and organic systems, its natural resilience, low input requirements, and versatility make it particularly well-suited for organic agriculture. These characteristics help organic sorghum producers minimize reliance on external inputs, align with organic principles, and tap into a growing market demand for organic products.
Buying seed?
The number of seeds per pound in sorghum varieties can vary significantly depending on the specific variety and the size of the seeds. Generally, this range can be broad, reflecting differences in genetics, breeding objectives, and end use (grain, forage, or specialty types). Here’s a general overview:
Small-Seeded Varieties: Can have as many as 16,000 to 18,000 seeds per pound.
Large-Seeded Varieties: May have fewer seeds per pound, typically ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 seeds per pound.
Forage sorghums and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid types tend to have larger seeds compared to grain sorghum varieties. The seeds per pound can range from 10,000 to 14,000 for forage types, with sorghum-sudangrass hybrids often on the lower end of this scale due to their larger seed size.
Sorghum Varieties
The varieties listed below are some planted by current organic growers. We are in the process of getting a better list together and will post them here!
These varieties are listed along with their respective websites for more detailed information. Company listings are down below and your source for qualified salespeople. Check with your certifier before buying any sorghum seed especially if the variety is not sold as organically produced. Since we do not have many organic, locally adapted sorghum varieties producers typically buy conventionally produced varieties without seed treatments.
The organic market continues to show steady growth, even under the same economic pressures affecting all of agriculture.
According to a recent report by the Organic Trade Association1, U.S. organic sales reached $76.6 billion in 2025, increasing by 6.8%, while the overall food market grew at approximately 3.4% . Organic food alone grew even faster, at 6.9% compared to 2.3% for total food sales . This marks another year in which organic has outperformed the broader marketplace.
This pattern is important. Organic growth is not limited to a single year or driven by short-term factors. It reflects a sustained trend of consumer demand that has continued through inflationary periods, supply chain disruptions, and broader uncertainty in food markets.
At the same time, organic has reached a level of maturity within the food system. With more than 6% penetration into total U.S. food sales, organic products are no longer confined to specialty markets. They are now part of routine purchasing behavior for a significant portion of consumers.
This combination—continued growth alongside market maturity—creates a different type of market environment than in earlier years of organic expansion. Growth is still occurring, but it is not evenly distributed. Demand is increasing at the consumer level, while returns at the farm level do not always reflect that increase.
This disconnect suggests that the primary constraint is not whether consumers are purchasing organic products, but how effectively production is aligned with growing categories, functional supply chains, and market channels that return value to the producer.
Another important consideration is that organic products now compete directly with conventional products within the same retail space. Despite this competition—and despite typically higher prices—organic continues to grow at a faster rate. This indicates that consumer purchasing decisions are being driven by factors beyond price alone, including perceived health benefits, ingredient transparency, and trust in certification.
Consumers Are Buying “Health”—Not Just “Organic”
One of the clearest shifts in the organic market is not just how much consumers are buying, but why they are buying it. Organic is no longer functioning only as a production label. It is increasingly being interpreted by consumers as a health-related choice2. Across recent data, consumers consistently prioritize attributes such as absence of synthetic chemicals, no added hormones or antibiotics, fewer additives and more recognizable ingredients. These are often referred to as “free-from” characteristics. While these attributes are not unique to organic certification, organic is still the most comprehensive and trusted system that delivers all of them under one standard.
At the same time, consumers continue to demonstrate a willingness to pay a premium for organic products, particularly in the United States. That willingness is not being driven simply by branding or marketing. It is tied to a broader shift in how food is viewed. The concept of “food as medicine” has moved from niche discussion into mainstream thinking. Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on perceived impacts to personal health, long-term wellness, and dietary quality. Organic is no longer competing solely as a production system. It is competing within a broader set of health-related claims, including non-GMO, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, natural, and regenerative.
In this environment, organic retains an advantage because it encompasses many of these attributes within a single certification. However, it also faces increased competition from more narrowly defined claims that may be easier for consumers to interpret. As a result, organic’s value is increasingly tied to how well it is understood and communicated as a complete system, rather than just one attribute among many.
Protein and Nutrient Density Are Driving Growth
One of the more consistent signals in the organic market right now is where growth is actually occurring. It is not evenly spread across all categories. Instead, it is concentrated in products that are closely tied to protein and nutrient density.
Several of the fastest-growing categories reflect this clearly:
Eggs increased by 22.4%
Meat, poultry, and seafood increased by 22.5%
Yogurt increased by 16.6%
These are not minor categories. These are core food groups, and their growth suggests a shift in how consumers are thinking about food overall.
What Is Driving This Shift: This trend aligns with broader changes in consumer behavior. There is increasing emphasis on:
foods that are nutrient-dense rather than calorie-dense
adequate protein intake
satiety and sustained energy
Functional Foods and the Broader Trend
This shift also connects to the growth of what are often called functional foods—products that offer added benefits beyond basic nutrition.
Yogurt (16.6% increase) is a good example, where growth is tied not only to protein, but also to digestive health. Similar trends are showing up in beverages and snacks that are positioned around energy, recovery, or overall wellness.
Implications for Texas Agriculture:
This focus on protein and nutrition connects directly to several production systems in Texas. Organic sorghum plays a role through dairy feed, linking grain production to milk and yogurt markets. Organic peanuts and other legumes fit into plant-based protein demand, especially as consumers shift toward simpler, whole foods. At the same time, organic beef demand is growing rapidly, but a significant portion is being supplied through imports . This suggests strong demand, but limited domestic supply.
Plant-Based Is Changing (Important for Legumes)
Another shift worth noting is how the plant-based category itself is evolving.
Some of the earlier growth in plant-based foods was driven by highly processed alternatives. That segment is now slowing, with products like meat substitutes declining by about –5.5%. At the same time, simpler foods such as dried beans, fruits, and vegetables are increasing, with dried products growing by 13.6% .
This is a meaningful change. Consumers are not moving away from plant-based foods—they are moving toward foods that are less processed and more recognizable.
Implications for Texas: This aligns well with crops that are already adapted to Texas systems. Cowpeas, fava beans, dry beans, peanuts, and even some of the ancient grains fit naturally into this trend. These crops have traditionally been viewed as secondary or rotational options, but they may begin to carry more direct market value as demand shifts toward whole-food protein sources.
Imports Are Filling Key Gaps (Hidden but Critical Story)
One of the more important signals in the current organic market is not just what is growing, but where that growth is being supplied from. Organic beef, for example, showed very strong growth in 2025 3, but much of that increase is being supported by imports rather than domestic production . This points to a structural issue within organic and certainly within Texas organic. Demand is growing but domestic supply has not kept pace.
What This Suggests: When imports are filling a growing category, it typically means one or more of the following production is limited or slow to expand, processing or infrastructure is limited or non-existent, supply chains are better developed elsewhere in the world, or in this case, it is likely a combination of all three.
Implications for Texas: For Texas producers, this raises a practical question. If the market is growing, but imports are filling that growth, where is the opportunity being missed locally?
Texas has land resources, livestock systems, and experience in beef production. But capturing organic market share requires more than production alone. It depends on finishing systems, certified processing, and consistent market access. (There is work in progress, just click here to read what!)
The USDA Organic Seal Still Matters—A Lot
As more labels and claims enter the marketplace, one of the consistent findings is that organic certification remains one of the most trusted standards available. In the United States, about 74% of consumers report trust in the USDA Organic label . That level of trust is higher than most individual claims such as “natural,” “non-GMO,” or “antibiotic-free,” which tend to address only one aspect of production. At the same time, the number of competing claims has increased significantly. Consumers are now faced with a wide range of labels that emphasize single attributes (e.g., non-GMO) or specific practices (No Additives) or marketing-driven terms (Natural). This creates confusion!
This creates a situation where organic competes against simpler messages while offering a more comprehensive value. If that value is not clearly communicated, organic can be treated as just one option among many, rather than the most complete standard. Organic continues to hold the strongest position as a trusted standard, but its value depends on how clearly that standard is understood and communicated in the marketplace.
Millennials and Gen Z Are Driving the Market
Another consistent trend in the organic market is who is making the purchasing decisions. Millennials remain the primary drivers of organic purchases, with strong influence also coming from Gen Z consumers . These groups are not only buying organic—they are shaping how food is evaluated more broadly.
What This Suggests: These younger consumers tend to place higher value on sustainability, transparency in production (they might even like to know how you farm), and alignment with personal values. They are also more likely to seek out information, compare products, and respond to how a product is presented—not just what it is. This changes how products compete in the marketplace.
Conclusion:
These trends point to a consistent conclusion. Organic demand is present and continuing to grow, but that growth is becoming more selective. It is increasingly tied to health, nutrition, and clearly defined value in the marketplace.
For Texas producers, the opportunity remains strong, but capturing that opportunity will depend on how production aligns with these shifting demands and how effectively products move through the system from field to consumer.
Organic Trade Association (OTA). 2026. Consumer Perception of USDA Organic and Competing Label Claims in North America. Organic Trade Association, Washington, DC.
Organic Trade Association. 2025. U.S. Organic Marketplace Achieved Significant Growth in 2025 (Press Release). https://ota.com/news/press-releases
Every year, I am usually out checking small grain fields across Texas this time of year—from the High Plains down to South Texas—and one thing is always clear:
We are not all at the same stage, but we are usually at some sort of decision point.
In the Upper Panhandle, small grains may just be reaching Feekes 5–6 (green-up to jointing). In Central Texas, crops are often at Feekes 10 or boot to heading. And in South Texas, many fields are already at pollination (Feekes 10.5 or even moving toward grain fill (Feekes 11).
Even with those differences, the key question remains the same:
What is the best use of this crop from here forward?
Why Growth Stage Still Matters—Even Across Regions
The decisions you make now are still tied closely to crop development, but the options available to you depend on where your crop sits today.
Here is how I think about it across Texas:
Feekes 4–6 (Panhandle / later-planted wheat)
Full flexibility: grazing, silage, grain, or cover crop
Nitrogen decisions still influence yield potential
Boot to Heading (Central Texas)
Strong window for silage or grazing
Grain is still viable, but management decisions are mostly set
Pollination to Grain Fill (South Texas)
Primary option becomes grain harvest
Some late silage possible, but quality declines quickly and silage may not be possible after soft dough!
This variation is not a problem—it’s actually an opportunity. It means across Texas, producers can match their crop stage to the best economic use for their situation.
A More Useful Way to Think About It
Instead of asking:
“What stage is my wheat at?”
You should ask:
“Given where my crop is today, what are my realistic options—and what gives me the best return?”
Option 1: Keep It as a Cover Crop
In organic systems, soil is the driver of fertility. A small grain cover crop is one of the best tools we have to build or amend soil, add fertility and support microbe life.
What You Gain
Soil protection from wind and rain
Improved water infiltration through root channels
Increased soil biology and organic matter
Reduced weed pressure
Even moderate biomass (3,000 lb/acre) delivers measurable benefits:
Cover Crop Biomass
Moderate Growth
Heavy Growth
Dry Matter Produced
3,000 lb/acre
Return/Acre
6,000 lb/acre
Return/Acre
Nitrogen Returned
45–75 lb N
$28.80 – $48.00
90–150 lb N
$57.60 – $96.00
Phosphorus Returned
9–15 lb P₂O₅
$8.37 – $13.95
18–30 lb P₂O₅
$16.74 – $27.90
Potassium Returned
45–75 lb K₂O
$21.15 – $35.25
90–150 lb K₂O
$42.30 – $70.50
Total Nutrient Value
$58 – $97
$117 – $194
Heavy biomass can double that value to $117–$194 per acre.
Why This Matters
Think of this like putting money into a soil “savings account.” You may not cash it out immediately, but:
Your next crop establishes better
Water is used more efficiently
Nutrient cycling improves
Over time, that compounds into more stable yields and lower input needs.
Option 2: Cut It for Silage
I see this becoming more important, especially with organic dairies looking for feed alternatives.
Timing Is Everything
Boot to early head: ~15% crude protein
Soft dough: higher yield, lower quality
But here’s the tradeoff:
You give up 1/3 to 1/2 of total grain yield potential
Yield and Value
Boot stage: 1.7–2.7 tons DM/acre
Soft dough: 4.2–5.9 tons DM/acre
Price: $40–$65/ton (32% DM basis)
Why It Can Work
Generates cash flow earlier
Saves soil moisture compared to full-season grain
Opens the door for a second crop
I often think of silage as a “system decision” rather than a crop decision—it’s about fitting into a rotation.
Option 3: Graze It
In many cases, grazing is the most profitable use of small grains.
Typical Returns
40¢–70¢ per lb of gain
$18–$25 per head per month
Why It Works
You are converting forage directly into animal weight without:
Harvest costs
Hauling
Storage losses
Key Considerations
Stocking rate and timing
Moisture and regrowth potential
Whether you still want grain afterward
If you have livestock or access to them, this option deserves serious consideration. It often produces steady income with lower risk than grain.
Option 4: Take It to Grain
There is renewed interest in:
Organic wheat
Ancient grains
Barley, rye, and specialty markets
High-nutrient or functional grains (like high anthocyanin lines)
What Buyers Are Looking For
High protein
Strong gluten (for baking)
Low DON (vomitoxin)
Consistent quality
There is also growing consumer interest in:
Whole grain products
Local milling
Health-driven foods
Why This Matters
Grain gives you:
The highest potential gross return
Access to premium markets
But also:
The highest risk
The longest time to cash flow
The greatest dependence on weather
Putting It All Together: How I Think Through the Decision
When I am in a producer field at any stage of growth, I usually think through these questions:
1. What is my moisture situation?
Limited moisture → lean toward grazing or silage
Good moisture → grain becomes more attractive
2. What markets do I have access to?
Dairy nearby → silage
Livestock → grazing
Strong organic grain buyer → grain
3. What does my next crop need?
Need soil improvement → cover crop
Need time for planting → silage
Need moisture conservation → cover crop or grazing
4. What have I already invested?
High fertility investment → grain may justify it
Low input system → cover crop or grazing may be better
This publication was recently published by both FiBL which is The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture and IFOAM Organics International which is the 100-country membership organization for organic agriculture. These two organizations came together to publish this look at statistics for world agriculture but also to give us all some insights into some of the trends.
Just click the picture to be able to download your copy!
I was particularly interested in the special section on Peanuts. This is a “special” section because there is so little production in the world but there is an increasing demand. I am hopeful we can maybe find a way into this market!
Here are the lead paragraphs by Nicolas Lefebvre with FiBL.
Despite their visible presence in European retail – from organic peanut butter to snack products – organic peanuts remain one of the rarest crops in global organic agriculture. Based on available data, organic peanuts account for around 0.1 percent of global peanut area. Even allowing for data gaps in some producing countries, the conclusion is clear: organic peanut production is exceptionally limited.
Biological and agronomic constraints
Peanuts are a legume crop grown in warm climates. The primary organic production regions include Asia (mainly China), Latin America, the United States (particularly the Southeast and Texas), and several African countries, with Egypt being a major producer that relies heavily on intensive irrigation. Peanut cultivation is best suited to sandy soils and is characterized by relatively high-water requirements. While some organic pilot initiatives exist in Europe (notably in Austria and France), climatic constraints remain significant: temperatures are often limited, and wet conditions during autumn harvest can critically compromise crop quality.
The peanut pods develop underground, making the crop highly sensitive to fungal diseases, especially under humid conditions. In conventional systems, these risks are managed with repeated applications of fungicides (mainly systemic), starting with seed treatment at planting time. In organic farming, no comparable solutions are available, resulting in significantly higher yield variability and crop failure risk.
A further major constraint is the risk of aflatoxin contamination. Peanuts are among the crops most exposed to aflatoxins, toxic substances produced by fungi of the Aspergillus genus. These toxins are strictly regulated in the European Union and in the United States, and exceeding the legal limits makes entire lots unmarketable.
Aflatoxin contamination usually occurs at the end of the growing cycle, but it can also develop very rapidly after harvest if storage conditions are poor. For organic producers and traders, the risk is higher, as organic lots cannot be blended or downgraded into conventional markets. One unfavorable season or inadequate post-harvest handling can therefore wipe out the entire economic return. A less visible consequence is that heavily contaminated lots (mainly in less developed countries) may be sold at lower prices on local markets, creating food safety.
This intro to worldwide organic peanut production makes it plain that we have very little competition, but the next section makes it clear that we are the world’s primary producer, and I think the world’s best and cleanest producer!
Economic disincentives and weak infrastructure
From an economic perspective, organic peanuts combine high production risk with limited market incentives. Organic yields are generally lower, labor and monitoring costs are higher, and crop losses can be total. In addition, compared with other open field arable crops, peanut production requires highly specific harvesting equipment, as well as dedicated sorting and shelling infrastructure that is not compatible with other crops. These technical constraints imply substantial fixed investments, making entry into organic peanut production particularly costly for large-scale organic arable farms. At the same time, consumer willingness to pay organic premiums is more limited than for other nuts such as almonds or cashews. As a result, many farmers prefer alternative organic crops with more predictable returns. In addition, many major peanut-producing regions lack well-developed organic infrastructure. Advisory services, organic breeding programs, and segregated post-harvest facilities are often missing. Consequently, only a small number of highly specialized projects are able to supply organic peanuts reliably for export markets.
The article concluded with this paragraph below and it highlights our lack of US Organic Peanut penetration into the European Market
Conclusion
Organic peanuts illustrate the limits of organic expansion in crops with high biological and food safety risks. Their extremely low share of global organic area reflects fundamental agronomic and economic constraints rather than a lack of consumer interest. The EU import collapse of 2022–2023 was driven by a combination of climatic shocks, aflatoxin risk, regulatory transition and market conditions, followed by a partial normalization in 2024. Organic peanuts are therefore likely to remain a small but strategically important niche within global organic supply chains.
Lastly they provide some numbers of organic peanut production.
Statistics on world-wide organic peanuts Organic peanuts remain a niche crop globally (estimated 0.1 percent of total peanut area), but the recorded global organic peanut area increased from 11,101 hectares (2016) to 41,972 hectares (103,717 acres) in 2024 according to the FiBL survey on organic agriculture worldwide. The strong jump in 2024 should be interpreted with care, because it was driven largely by a new data source for the United States, which reported a much larger organic peanut area than the source used previously. In 2024, the top three countries by organic peanut area were the United States (18,990 hectares (46,925 acres); almost half of the reported global organic peanut area), China (12,238 hectares; ~30 percent), and Mexico (4,116 hectares; ~10 percent).
More Good Market News!
Wintertime is the time for meetings, and both Organic organizations and Organic companies are hosting meetings all over the world to discuss and plan for market programs over the 2026 market year and beyond. This article appeared in the February edition of The Organic and Non-GMO Report which I subscribe to. This is one of my favorite magazines with great articles and good market information. I have seen some similar information from other sources but for sure numbers 1, 2 and 4 fit Texas Organic and fit us well. A big thanks to The Organic & Non-GMO Report for calling our attention to this huge market!
New World Screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is recognized as a highly destructive pest.¹,² NWS fly larvae, also known as maggots, invade the tissue of living animals, resulting in severe and often fatal injuries. This species can infest warm-blooded hosts, including livestock, pets, wildlife, humans, and even birds.²
Top and middle photos courtesy of CDC, bottom photo Marcy Ward, New Mexico State University.
The term “screwworm” is derived from the larvae’s characteristic feeding behavior, where they burrow into wounds in a manner like a screw penetrating wood.¹ Maggots inflict significant harm by tearing at host tissue with their sharp mouth hooks; consequently, the wound may enlarge and deepen as additional larvae hatch and feed on viable tissue.² The impact of NWS infestations can be substantial, frequently leading to life-threatening conditions for affected animals. Adult screwworm flies are comparable in size to common houseflies or slightly larger and are distinguished by orange eyes, metallic blue or green bodies, and three dark stripes along their backs.¹
Historically, screwworm caused severe economic losses in U.S. livestock production prior to eradication efforts, with annual losses estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars (mid-20th century values).⁴
USDA Strategy and Sterile Insect Technique
Central to eradication efforts is the sterile insect technique (SIT), a scientifically validated area-wide pest control method.⁵
Female NWS flies mate only once, so mating with a sterile male prevents reproduction and collapses the population over time.³,⁵ Sterile flies are released by air or ground, with aerial dispersal preferred for covering large areas. USDA produces sterile flies at the COPEG facility in Panama and is expanding domestic capacity at the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.¹
The sterile insect technique has been credited with the successful eradication of screwworm from the United States and much of Central America.³
Organic Considerations
For organic producers, livestock health care practices are governed under 7 CFR §205.238 of the National Organic Program regulations, which require preventive health care and prompt treatment of illness or injury.⁶
While APHIS provides guidance for detection and reporting,¹ there is very limited organic-specific direction currently available. Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listings can be consulted to determine compliance of specific insecticides. ⁷ Typical insecticide suppression of New World screwworm is not highly effective because larvae can infest wounds in wildlife hosts, so control relies primarily on detection, surveillance, and sterile male release rather than routine spray applications. ⁴
PyGanic is the only organic product labeled for livestock to kill adult flies, in particular blow flies. There are some other products for livestock but labeled as repellants. It is a natural pyrethrum product and falls within the same broad insecticide class referenced in federal guidance for adult fly control.8 However, there is currently no published data evaluating PyGanic specifically against New World Screwworm adults or larvae. Therefore, its potential role would be limited to adult fly suppression rather than eradication, and it should be considered as part of a broader management response rather than a stand-alone solution.
Producer Prevention and Reporting
Producers should:
Monitor livestock closely for wounds or signs of infestation.¹
Minimize injury risks by inspecting facilities and equipment.
Treat livestock and potential wounds promptly with approved products. If wounds are infected with NWS then report and treat with approved products.
Prevent introduction by controlling animal movement.
If screwworm is suspected, it must be reported immediately to State animal health officials and APHIS to enable rapid containment.¹
² University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. (2025). New World screwworm: Cochliomyia hominivorax (Primary screwworm). EDIS Publication IN1146. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1146
³ Krafsur, E. S., Whitten, C. J., & Novy, J. E. (1987). Screwworm eradication in North and Central America. Parasitology Today, 3(5), 131–137. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15462936/
⁵ Sterile Insect Technique (Scientific Foundation) Vreysen, M. J. B., Robinson, A. S., & Hendrichs, J. (Eds.). (2007). Area-wide control of insect pests: From research to field implementation. Springer. https://www.iaea.org/topics/sterile-insect-technique
Texas A&M AgriLife Organic 