The New World Screwworm

[HavokFour]

After 60 years the nasty thing is back in Texas. Canada has put restrictions on importing livestock from the state.

Screwworm fly detected in Texas decades after cattle threat was largely eradicated in US

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the New World screwworm fly has arrived in south Texas.

apnews.com

Flesh-eating screwworm: Canada bans Texas over US outbreak

The ban came as a second infected calf was identified in Texas, and the US state declaring a state of disaster over the outbreak.

www.bbc.com

Canada restricts U.S. livestock imports from areas affected by screwworm

Canada will place temporary import restrictions on livestock entering the country from affected areas in the U.S. after a case of screwworm was confirmed.

www.ctvnews.ca

Very relevant. A little over a year ago.

Bird flu, screwworm monitoring among foreign aid programs killed by Trump

Among the more than 5,300 grants and programs killed as a result of the Trump administration’s USAID cuts are a slate of U.S.-funded programs at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, including efforts to fight zoonotic diseases.

www.agri-pulse.com

EDIT: Last year the USDA estimated that if an outbreak like in 1976 happened in 2024, it would do $2B of damage to the states economy and cost ranchers close to $1B.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nws-historical-economic-impact.pdf

 

[brihard]

I was just reading up on this… Scary stuff for agriculture. Cutting programs that monitor for things like this was grossly negligent.

 

[suffolkowner]

I thought that the cut was a temporary DOGE thing that was reversed

 

[OldSolduer]

Of course it will be Canadas fault thereby having dear dumb Donald imposing more tariffs

 

[Blackadder1916]

Disease eradication, 1963 West Texas version