Where's The Beef?
Topic # 119
Flesh eating screwworms are parasites emerged in Texas last summer. The United States hadn’t seen Cochliomyia hominivorax for years, but it’s back. It primarily exploits cattle but can be found in warm-blooded hosts like deer or humans. “This might be the worst biological outbreak that we’re facing in our lifetime,1” stated Freddy Nieto the cattle manager at El Sauz Ranch. Why? Because screwworm females lay 250–500 eggs in a wound, and the larvae feed on flesh, causing serious illness or death, potentially devastating the beef industry.
In an August 2025 news conference with Governor Greg Abbott and USDA Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, The Texas Tribune reported that Rollins “called the threat a national security issue that should concern all Americans2” and that she said, “The fly ‘endangers our livestock industry and it threatens the stability of beef prices for consumers across America.3" With a reduction to the population of livestock, it is likely that beef prices will rise greatly and perhaps challenge its availability to consumers altogether.
Further, this pest could harm people in infested areas. Protective measures are straightforward. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises the following:
The best way to prevent New World Screwworm (NWS) is to avoid exposure.
Be alert for NWS symptoms in people with a history of recent travel to regions where NWS is endemic.
Avoid spending time around livestock or where livestock are housed while in rural areas in NWS endemic regions.
Clean and cover wounds, wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants and socks, and use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents.
Avoid sleeping outdoors and protect sleeping quarters with screens or bed nets, especially where people have wounds or active nasal or ocular discharges. Screening of hospital windows and doors is essential.4
Your take away from this article is this:
Monitor this potential threat to determine if it is in your area.
If it is in your environment, protect yourself and your loved ones, using the steps outlined above.
Great topic. It is also a serious concern for the intentional placement around the country as agroterroirsm.