Political blame game follows as screwworm parasite threatens cattle in Texas

By — Jeffrey Collins, Associated Press Jeffrey Collins, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/political-blame-game-follows-as-screwworm-parasite-threatens-cattle-in-texas Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Political blame game follows as screwworm parasite threatens cattle in Texas Health Jun 12, 2026 5:38 PM EDT U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins watched sterile flies being released to fight the New World screwworm on Thursday and visited the Texas ranch where one of the first cases of the pest was detected. The screwworm could devastate the nation's cattle industry. Later, she repeated her assertion that former President Joe Biden's administration is responsible for the parasite's return to the U.S. six decades after it was eradicated. Democratic leaders say cuts to the nation's agriculture agency under President Donald Trump are to blame. WATCH: News Wrap: 3 more screwworm cases found in Texas and New Mexico Screwworms are on their way to becoming a billion-dollar international problem, but can be contained if ranchers are vigilant, watch their herds and other wildlife, and quickly treat any infestations, Rollins said. She pointed to the calf where screwworms were found six days earlier in a wound where its umbilical cord had been attached. "He couldn't be happier. He's bouncing around the pasture," Rollins said. Screwworms are flies that lay their eggs in the wounds of warm-blooded animals and feed on living flesh rather than dead tissues. Scientists say releasing sterile flies to mate with females is the most effective way to control the population, a strategy that has worked for decades. A warming planet is complicating efforts by giving screwworms, which thrive in hot, humid weather, more places to spread. Billion-dollar response planned to fight screwworms The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing an all-out assault on the screwworm, which had been contained in the narrow isthmus of Panama for decades. No matter the cause, driving screwworms back south and keeping them out of the U.S. will be expensive. The USDA estimated it would spend over $1 billion on efforts to save cattle herds and other livestock. About $750 million will go toward building and operating a plant capable of producing up to 300 million sterile flies a week. The technique has been used for decades, as female screwworms mate just once, and if they choose a sterile mate, their eggs don't hatch, and the fly population dwindles. READ MORE: What to know about the New World screwworm fly and its U.S. reappearance The goal is to protect the U.S. cattle industry. Experts think the parasite shouldn't cause an immediate increase in near-record-high beef prices as long as it doesn't turn into an outbreak and large groups of cattle die. Screwworms don't affect food safety. The parasite has already disrupted the Mexican beef industry. The U.S. closed its southern ports to