(NewsNation) — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins sent a warning to Mexico, saying she’ll cut off beef imports from Mexico if the country doesn’t step up efforts to stop the spread of a flesh-eating parasite.
In a letter to the Mexican ambassador to the U.S., Rollins threatened to block the importation of live cattle, bison and horses if Mexico doesn’t meet the United States’ demands.
“Time is of the essence… We cannot afford to continue operating at partial strength,” Rollins said in the letter.
What is the New World screwworm?
The New World screwworm is a fly larva that can destroy livestock populations.
It does so by burrowing into a living animal’s flesh, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This can cause serious damage and is often deadly. The parasite typically infests livestock, wildlife, pets and sometimes birds. However, in very rare cases, it can infest people.
The USDA has said that mammals and birds that have the following signs should be reported:
Irritable behavior
Shaking of the head
The smell of decay
Any evidence of a fly strike
Presence of any fly larvae (maggots) in wounds
How can humans be affected by screwworms?
According to the CDC, you are at a higher risk of being affected by screwworms if:
You live in rural areas where the New World screwworm is endemic and where livestock is raised
You work with livestock frequently
You have open sores or wounds
You are immunocompromised, of an older age or experiencing malnutrition
If you believe you have been affected or any livestock you have has been affected, then you should report it to the CDC immediately. The CDC said the only way to treat this infection is to remove the larvae from any infected tissue.
How does US combat screwworms?
Currently, to combat these parasites, the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses aircraft to fly over farms and release sterilized insects. The sterile flies breed with wild screwworms, ultimately eradicating the species.
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Rollins wants cooperation from Mexico on flights and has asked the country to designate a point person to work with USDA inspectors to cut through red tape.
If the screwworm reaches U.S. farms, it could cost farmers millions of dollars annually, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein warns.
New World Screwworm largely eradicated from US in 1960s
Between the 1930s and 1950s, U.S. farmers lost up to $100 million each year due to infestations.
The New World Screwworm was largely eradicated in the U.S. by the 1960s and in Central America in the 1980s. It has made a comeback in recent years.
The screwworm was detected in Mexico in November, prompting the USDA to ban cattle and bison imports from Mexico until February.
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In her letter, Rollins said, “We are now at a critical inflection point in our shared campaign against this pest… the outbreak in southern Mexico continues to expand, and every day that passes without full deployment of sterile insect technique (SIT) operations represents a lost opportunity to contain this pest and prevent its spread…”
Mexico has until Wednesday to respond to the new demands. If the problem is not resolved, higher beef prices could be the result.
Rollins said, “USDA will restrict the importation of animal commodities, which consist of live cattle, bison, and equine originating from or transiting Mexico to protect the interest of the agriculture industry in the United States.”
