The USDA Invests $165 Million To Protect Livestock From New World Screwworm

The USDA has allocated $165 million to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm. This flesh-eating maggot was recently found in Mexico after decades of absence. The pest poses a severe threat to livestock, entering animals through open wounds and feeding on living tissue, potentially leading to death.

Funds will support enhanced surveillance, animal health checkpoints and eradication efforts in Mexico and Central America. The USDA also aims to reestablish a biological barrier in Panama.

Cattle imports from Mexico were paused after the pest was detected near the Guatemalan border. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association warned of devastating consequences if the screwworm returns. The U.S. eradicated the pest in the 1960s after the larvae created $50 to $100 million in losses a year by utilizing sterile fly programs.

The screwworm’s spread in Central America is attributed to livestock movement, deforestation and climate change. U.S. ranchers are urged to watch herds, as early detection is difficult.

Read more on the USDA’s efforts to prevent the spread of New World screwworms here.