USDA says food supply is safe after more screwworm cases in Texas
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the parasite can be contained as USDA confirmed additional cases linked to Texas and New Mexico.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the nation’s food supply is not threatened by newly confirmed New World screwworm cases, a reassurance aimed at livestock producers and consumers after the parasite reappeared in the United States. The pest can seriously harm animals if untreated, but the USDA says it does not infest meat, produce or other food products.
Rollins made the comments Monday on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” saying federal teams were working in the affected areas and that the parasite can be treated when found in animal wounds. She said the federal government is spending more than $1 billion to push the pest back into Mexico and pursue eradication.
After Rollins spoke, the USDA confirmed two more screwworm cases tied to Texas: one in a calf in La Salle County and one in a dog reported by a Texas veterinarian in Andrews County. The department classified the dog’s infection as a New Mexico case because the animal lives there, and said New Mexico officials would expand monitoring and outreach.
The new confirmations brought the total number of cases to four, according to the USDA. The department confirmed the first positive Texas case on Wednesday, marking the first U.S. cases of the parasite since the 1960s.
The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly. Its larvae enter the flesh of living warm-blooded animals, creating wounds that can become severe or life-threatening without treatment, according to the USDA. The pest can affect livestock, wildlife and pets, and can infect people in uncommon cases.
The return of the parasite has prompted action in Texas and Washington. President Donald Trump on Monday named John Bellinger, described as a longtime executive in food safety and distribution companies, as a senior adviser for New World screwworm preparedness.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and other state agriculture officials have criticized the USDA’s response, saying the agency moved too slowly to stop the pest from crossing the border. Rollins rejected that criticism on CNBC, calling Miller’s recent comments harmful to the federal response and saying the department has been moving quickly.
Rollins said the U.S. plans to use methods similar to those used when the country began battling screwworm in the late 1950s. A key part of that strategy is releasing sterile flies, which reduces the population by preventing successful reproduction.
The secretary said the U.S. is already releasing about 10 million sterile flies each week over the affected area by air and from the ground. Rollins said the country had eliminated the pest before and would work to do so again.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.