USDA Reports Suspected Screwworm Case in South Texas, Threatening Cattle Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a suspected case of New World screwworm in South Texas, a development that could significantly impact the state's $15 billion cattle industry. The USDA is currently testing a sample at its National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Iowa. This announcement follows a statement by Secretary Brooke Rollins, who refuted claims by state Rep. Don McLaughlin that the screwworm was near the U.S.-Mexico border. The screwworm, a parasitic fly, poses a threat to livestock by embedding larvae in open wounds, potentially causing severe harm or death. The pest was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s but has re-emerged in Central America and Mexico. The USDA has been proactive, shutting down the southern border to live animal imports and collaborating with Mexico and Panama to control the pest using sterile fly methods. 
