'At our doorstep': Flesh-eating parasite closing in on red state after Trump-backed cuts

[cbabe]

https://www.rawstory.com/doge-texas/

'At our doorstep': Flesh-eating parasite closing in on red state after Trump-backed cuts

Matthew Chapman
June 1, 2026 8:33PM ET

President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency cuts are hitting the state of Texas hard, as a long-controlled pest is threatening to resurge and decimate the livestock industry.

The New World screwworm, the larval stage of a parasitic fly known for laying eggs inside livestock animals and letting the maggots chew their way out, could cause massive damage to cattle herds. In the past, the U.S. managed to work together with Mexico to drive back screwworms, but they have been expanding their territory recently.

"Back in the 1950s, the United States led a successful charge against screwworms by buggering up their breeding cycle. But that was back when divisions of the government, like the U.S. Department of Agriculture were well funded and well organized," noted Boing Boing in a piece published last month.

In an urgent public letter, GOP state Rep. Don McLaughlin outlined the danger to the state — and demanded immediate action. "For more than a year, I have joined Texas ranchers in sounding the alarm while federal regulators have moved at a snail's pace," McLaughlin said in the statement. "Today, the threat is no longer hundreds of miles away. It is at our doorstep. Texas cannot afford to wait until the New World Screwworm crosses the border and begins devastating our livestock and wildlife populations."

… more …

[GenThePerservering]

1. The Trump regime is also trying to screw up bee research nt

[LymphocyteLover]

25. what science is this evil administration NOT trying to screw up??

This is so bad
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/white-house-proposes-new-rules-giving-political-appointees-final-say-on-research-grants/

[Bluestocking]

2. Thanks to our great leader

the US imports beef now so we don’t need domestic beef anymore.

[AZJonnie]

14. The US has been a net importer of Beef in most years since the 1970's, with 2017-2022 being a rare break

wherein the levels were roughly even every year, driven by a surging demand in Asia.

It's for sure getting much more imbalanced recently, though. Much like with the WTI/Sour crude relationship, this has partly been a price/arbitrage thing. Particularly in Asia, consumers will pay top dollar for high-quality cuts from the USA (more than people here will pay, generally). Then we import cheaper cuts, mostly from the global south. Drought has SERIOUSLY affected the size of the US herd over the past couple of years. Of late, we aren't raising anywhere near enough cattle to supply the whole domestic beef market for the cheaper stuff. Makes more economic sense for US "ranchers" to focus on raising fewer, but more valuable, heads, while people at home eat the cheaper stuff from the likes of Mexico, Brazil and Australia.

[LuvLoogie]

3. Flies: LOL. What border? "Build that wall!"

Call ICE on them. They've got billion$.

[msongs]

4. what is red state paradise texas doing about this? after all the feds are an enemy nt

[AZJonnie]

16. EXACTLY!

Pick yourself up by your bootstraps, you freedom-loving, tax-avoiding, Texas Rancher types! Quit being whiny SOCIALISTS looking for gubmint handouts! Set an example and show everyone how you accomplish everything all by your independent-as-fuck selves!

[GreenWave]

30. And keep hiring them there Mexicans at starvation wages,,,

[RockRaven]

5. This is what you voted for, over and over again. You cretin. You dumbass. You coward.

[dave99]

6. Rep. Don McLaughlin WON'T say a word about shitstain, eh?

[milestogo]

7. Call RFK Jr.

He's probably infected by it.

[chouchou]

11. He probably gave some of his brain worms to the cows..

[DaBronx]

28. Therefore qualified to give expert advice

On how to continue screwing everyone!

[Enter stage left]

8. We'd need more funding for it if we found it only affects rePuqs politicians...

To see how we can help it!

[NBachers]

9. If only we could modify it so it only attacks Republicans.

[ColoringFool]

19. Republican Cattle Might Be Difficult To Find.

[rampartd]

21. they herd at megachurch on sunday morning

[lastlib]

23. Those are sheep......

Jus' sayin'

[rampartd]

24. did i just fail my cogitative test?

[pfitz59]

10. let that MAGAt ranchers fail

they fucked it up

[Inkey]

12. This could help

James Talarico with the rural votes by
focusing in on this issue. Bring back
the eradication funding for all the border
States. Also look to the family farmers
for help supplementing their crop losses this year due to fertilizer costs swings.

[lastlib]

13. Are these things cousins to Bobby's buddy?

The brainworm? Well, Mr. Kennedy, it sounds like you have some new friends to check out. You wouldn't think about, like, *vaccinating,* or maybe *spraying* for them?? Or would you prefer to make them pets?

[Blumancru]

22. Pets? Hell, worms live in his head rent free!

[rickford66]

15. The yacht lobby has more pull in DC than some bugs in Texas.

[Coventina]

17. Go VEGETARIAN! No more cattle! No more screwworms!!

[ColoringFool]

18. I Know That's The Actual Headline, But One Infers Said "Flesh" Is Human. It Is Not.

[GoodRaisin]

20. Krasnov doesn't care.

[Goonch]

26. ;-{) New World screwworm showing its mouth hooks.

[UpInArms]

27. "Maneater" screwworm that lays eggs in nostrils and open wounds headed towards Texas

MON JAN 6, 2025

https://boingboing.net/2025/01/06/maneater-screwworm-that-lays-eggs-in-nostrils-and-open-wounds-headed-towards-texas.html

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sent out an advisory warning hunters, livestock owners, and outdoorsy folks near the southern border to watch out for a flesh-eating parasite known as the New World Screwworm.

The "man-eating" screwworms, or "devastating pests" as the U.S. Department of Agriculture calls them, are maggots that live off of live tissue in an animal's — and sometimes human's — nostrils, eyes, open wound, or mouth. And the unwelcome critters, which were recently found in a cow in Chiapas, Mexico, are making their way towards Texas, according to CBS.

"Although USDA eradicated NWS from the United States in 1966 using sterile insect technique, there is a constant risk of re-introduction into the United States," said the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

… more at link …

Note the date on that article … this stupid evil cruel incompetent bungling destructive collection of nasty cretins

[DaBronx]

29. Good time to go vegetarian if you ask me

[Itchinjim]

31. "I didn't think the screw worm would eat MY face..."