Stop Trump and DOGE’s Screwworm Disaster Before It Spreads

A flesh-eating parasite eradicated from the United States decades ago is back — after Trump and DOGE gutted the disease-monitoring systems built to stop exactly this kind of outbreak.

New World screwworms are as horrifying as they sound. Their larvae burrow into living flesh, threatening cattle, pets, wildlife, and even people. In livestock, untreated infestations can be deadly. If this spreads, ranchers could face quarantines, mass losses, and another brutal hit to America’s already strained food supply.

And families could pay for it at the grocery store. Beef prices are already high, with the U.S. cattle herd at a 75-year low. A wider screwworm outbreak could make the next hamburger even more expensive.

Tell Congress: “Investigate Trump and DOGE’s cuts to animal disease monitoring, fully fund USDA and APHIS outbreak response, and stop the New World screwworm before it spreads.”

For 60 years, the federal government kept screwworms out through a proven program: breeding sterile male flies and releasing them to crash the parasite population. It worked. Texas had not seen an identified cattle case since 1966.

Until now.

DOGE cut screwworm monitoring. Trump’s administration gutted animal disease control staff and funding. APHIS — the agency responsible for stopping threats like this — reportedly lost 1,300 employees. That's a preventable disaster in progress.

Ranchers should not pay the price for Trump’s reckless cuts. Families should not pay more for food because DOGE treated disease prevention like waste. And communities should not be left exposed while officials point fingers.

Congress does not need to wait for this to become a full-blown agricultural crisis. It must drag USDA officials into hearings, expose exactly what Trump and DOGE cut, put trained disease-control staff back on the job, and pour emergency resources into surveillance and sterile fly production before more ranchers, pet owners, and communities are left dealing with the consequences.

Add your name now and tell Congress to stop the screwworm outbreak before it spreads further.

The petition to Congress reads:

“Investigate Trump and DOGE’s cuts to animal disease monitoring, restore USDA and APHIS outbreak response capacity, accelerate sterile fly production, and act immediately to stop the New World screwworm from spreading further.”