New Federal Funding and Plans to Prevent Livestock Crisis
The New World Screwworm is back in the spotlight—and not without serious concern. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins recently described the parasitic threat as “devastating to the American livestock industry if it reaches our border.”
Rollins spoke following a roundtable with state leaders, outlining a five-prong federal plan to push back the flesh-eating pest. “We’re working to keep it out of our country—and make sure American farmers and ranchers never have to deal with this,” she said.
Congressman Tony Gonzales highlighted the urgency: “We don’t want to mess with our hamburgers on Saturday, our steaks on Friday, and our fajitas on Sunday.” Gonzales praised the administration’s fast action, adding, “No one was talking about screwworms a few months ago—now here we are.”
Gonzales, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee, secured $10 million in this year’s budget to fight screwworms and introduced the Stop the Screwworm Act, which would commit $300 million long-term to eradication efforts.
The USDA has already taken a critical first step by suspending live animal imports from Mexico, where the parasite has recently been detected.
The screwworm—a flesh-eating fly larva—poses a particularly lethal threat to the cattle industry, making vigilance and funding essential.
Nick Papagni, The Ag Meter, reporting for AgNet West.