Rollins downplays Texas screwworm threat after earlier stark warnings
What's new: The USDA chief now says the parasite is treatable and not a food-supply risk, even as beef prices and border policy become political flashpoints.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has sought to reassure the public after New World screwworm was detected in Texas, describing it this week as a treatable pest that does not threaten the U.S. food supply. Her comments marked a sharper tone than earlier remarks in which she called the parasite “terrifying” and warned it could devastate the cattle industry. Rollins has argued the USDA was prepared for the outbreak and has blamed the pest’s northward spread on Biden-era border policy. Democrats have countered that the Trump administration’s cuts and handling of the response left farmers, ranchers and consumers exposed as beef prices remain high and inflation runs at 4.2% in May.