Key facts
- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is leading efforts to combat the New World screwworm in Texas.
- Rollins attributes the parasite's return to the Biden administration, citing immigration and livestock movement.
- Democratic leaders blame President Donald Trump's administration for cuts to agricultural inspection programs.
- The USDA plans to spend over $1 billion on containment efforts, including a sterile fly production facility.
- The screwworm poses a significant threat to the U.S. cattle industry and has already impacted Mexico.
- Climate change is considered a factor in the parasite's spread.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has visited Texas to address the re-emergence of the New World screwworm, a parasite that threatens the nation's cattle industry. Rollins asserted that the Biden administration is responsible for the pest's return to the U.S. after a six-decade absence, suggesting it arrived with immigrants and illicit cattle trafficking.
Conversely, Democratic leaders argue that budget cuts to agricultural agencies under President Donald Trump weakened inspection programs, contributing to the problem. Scientists, meanwhile, are uncertain about the exact cause of the screwworm's reappearance, with some pointing to climate change as a facilitating factor due to warmer temperatures allowing the flies to spread further north.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing a significant response, estimating over $1 billion in spending to combat the screwworm. This includes constructing a facility to produce up to 300 million sterile flies weekly, a method used for decades to control screwworm populations by preventing fertile eggs from hatching. The parasite has already caused over 28,000 cases in Mexico since its return two years ago, leading to trade disruptions between the two countries.
Experts believe the screwworm could become a billion-dollar international issue if not contained. While the parasite does not affect food safety, a widespread outbreak could impact beef prices. The U.S. has implemented quarantine zones around detected cases, and even Canada has temporarily halted livestock imports from Texas.