Screwworm Outbreak Spreads as USDA Shifts Blame to Previous Administration

The presence of the flesh-eating parasite—eradicated in the U.S. in 1966—has sparked a sharp political divide. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, argue the outbreak is a direct consequence of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) slashing 1,300 positions from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. These cuts specifically targeted disease monitoring programs, leaving the country vulnerable to the pest.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins maintains that the current crisis traces back to migration patterns under the Biden administration. However, analysts point out that President Donald Trump lifted a ban on livestock imports from Mexico shortly after taking office in 2025. Compounding the issue, the sterile fly breeding facility intended to combat the infestation remains under construction, with current containment efforts operating at roughly one percent of the capacity required for total eradication.

With the parasite now confirmed in Gillespie County and Lea County, New Mexico, the cattle industry faces renewed instability. Producers, already struggling with the lowest herd numbers in 75 years and mounting costs from tariffs and fuel, now face the threat of a biological infestation. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) dismissed the administration's attempts to deflect responsibility, stating that the decision to gut essential surveillance programs has left the industry significantly more exposed to this preventable crisis.