# UADA economist: Screwworm news will rattle local Texas, New Mexico cattle markets, but consumer prices to remain unchanged

> A University of Arkansas economist says feeder cattle futures were highly volatile after the screwworm confirmation in Texas, with August contracts trading between $335 and $353. The market initially fell but then closed limit up. The economist expects little change in retail beef prices, though local Texas and New Mexico cattle markets may be affected.

- Date: 2026-06-04 · published 2026-06-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/18764-uada-economist-screwworm-news-will-rattle-local-texas-new-mexico-cattle-markets
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

Nearby cattle markets face the most immediate price effects from movement restrictions and fear of spread. Retail beef prices are less affected, so the impact on feeder cattle futures is mainly a short-term volatility story.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: neutral
- LCATTLE: neutral

## Linked price moves

| Commodity | Date | Window | Change % | z-score | Why linked |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2026-06-03 | 1 | +3.1% | 3.3 | Economist commentary on the volatile feeder futures and limit-up close after the screwworm confirmation supports the same price action. |

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2024-03-25 | [US, Mexico reach deal to continue cattle imports \| Latest Market News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31160-us-mexico-reach-deal-to-continue-cattle-imports-latest-market-news.md) | -3.8% | -2.8% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-02-18 | [USDA will not ban cattle imports from Mexico over latest screwworm case, agency says \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25979-usda-will-not-ban-cattle-imports-from-mexico-over-latest-screwworm-case-agency.md) | +2.2% | +6.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-02-24 | [APHIS Allows Imports of Mexican Cattle to Continue Despite 2nd New World Screwworm Case](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25983-aphis-allows-imports-of-mexican-cattle-to-continue-despite-2nd-new-world.md) | +2.6% | +6.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2024-07-18 | [Collaborative Efforts to Combat the Cattle Screwworm in Latin America - LatinAmerican Post](https://feedsoft.ai/events/29214-collaborative-efforts-to-combat-the-cattle-screwworm-in-latin-america.md) | -0.6% | -4.1% |
| FCATTLE | 2024-04-19 | [Strong cattle market fundamentals remain but expect 'jittery' futures markets - Agweek \| #1 source for agriculture news, farming, markets](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30860-strong-cattle-market-fundamentals-remain-but-expect-jittery-futures-markets.md) | +1.4% | +1.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-03-25 | [US, Mexico reach deal to continue cattle imports \| Latest Market News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/31160-us-mexico-reach-deal-to-continue-cattle-imports-latest-market-news.md) | -1.8% | -2.3% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-02-18 | [USDA will not ban cattle imports from Mexico over latest screwworm case, agency says \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25979-usda-will-not-ban-cattle-imports-from-mexico-over-latest-screwworm-case-agency.md) | -0.5% | +2.4% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-03-28 | [USDA urged to ramp up efforts against New World screwworm - Texas Farm Bureau](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25523-usda-urged-to-ramp-up-efforts-against-new-world-screwworm-texas-farm-bureau.md) | -0.5% | +0.8% |

## Sources

- uaex.uada.edu: https://uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/june/06-04-ark-screwworm-economics.aspx

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.