Rollins Calls Texas Ag Chief Unserious Over 1st Screwworm Case as USDA Races to Contain Threat
Updated
Updated · CNBC · Jun 8
Rollins Calls Texas Ag Chief Unserious Over 1st Screwworm Case as USDA Races to Contain Threat
2 articles · Updated · CNBC · Jun 8
Summary
Brooke Rollins publicly rebuked Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, calling his claim that ranchers might hide infections to avoid quarantine both “unserious” and “very dangerous.”
Miller has attacked USDA since Texas confirmed its first New World Screwworm case last Wednesday, saying the agency moved too slowly and ignored his preferred SWASS insecticide-plus-sterile-fly approach.
USDA says producers should report any suspected case immediately and is following its eradication playbook with quarantine zones, trapping, surveillance, outreach and sterile-fly releases.
The clash lands as the Trump administration tries to stop a parasite that can kill cattle, shrink an already weak herd and push beef prices higher, though officials say it poses no food-safety risk.
The pest was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, and USDA is now expanding sterile-fly capacity with a new production facility and a dispersal site opened earlier this year.