USDA Battles Screwworm Parasite Threatening American Cattle Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is intensifying efforts to combat the resurgence of the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that poses a significant threat to American cattle. The screwworm, which was previously eradicated in the U.S., has reappeared, with larvae recently discovered in Texas and New Mexico. The USDA has been using a sterile-insect technique since the 1950s to control the screwworm population, involving the release of sterilized flies to reduce the breeding population. However, the current production capacity for sterile flies is limited, with only a Panamanian facility capable of producing 100 million flies weekly. The resurgence of the screwworm is attributed to factors such as illegal cattle trafficking, which has facilitated the parasite's northward spread from Central America. 
