A parasitic fly larvae that devastates cattle has turned up in Texas for the first time in six decades, reigniting industry fears about catastrophic losses at a moment when American beef supplies are already stretched thin.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the New World screwworm in Zavala County, Texas, late Wednesday and immediately activated an emergency response. The pest, which burrows into living tissue and causes severe wounds, had been eradicated from the country by 1966 but has been creeping northward through Mexico in recent years.
The timing could not be worse for cattlemen. The U.S. beef herd sits at its smallest size in 75 years, a squeeze created by a perfect storm of drought, rising feed costs, and stubborn consumer demand. Ground beef hit a record $6.89 per pound in May, the highest price since government tracking began in 1984. Live cattle futures dropped roughly 0.8% Thursday as traders digested the news.
The discovery also exposed a rift in official messaging. On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated the screwworm had not been found within a mile of the border. Twenty-four hours later, the USDA announced it had already crossed into Texas, suggesting the infestation may have gone undetected for some time.
Unlike previous disease outbreaks, federal officials plan to treat and quarantine affected animals rather than order a mass cull. The USDA is dispatching treatment supplies and ramping up release of sterile flies, a biological control method designed to prevent reproduction. Authorities also plan to search aggressively for additional cases.
Industry groups have been bracing for this scenario. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association said it has spent more than a year preparing defenses against a potential screwworm incursion in the United States.
Health officials note that human infections from the screwworm are rare, though when they occur they produce bleeding sores that may require surgical treatment.
The cattle industry's biggest concern now extends beyond the immediate threat to ranches near Zavala County. Consumer demand could crater if news of the infestation sparks panic about beef safety, a risk that could push already-record prices even higher or trigger shortages. The sector is already operating under constraints that leave little room for additional shocks.
Author James Rodriguez: "This confirmation that a 60-year-old problem is suddenly back on American soil should set off alarm bells in every boardroom from the feed lot to the supermarket chain."
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