Politics
USDA Lost 23 Percent of Parasite Unit as Screwworm Returns After Eradication
Breaking Points
WORST OUTBREAK In US History As Trump Cuts Disease Detectives
"This parasitic blowfly had been eradicated in the US. Now it's back. And unfortunately for beef enjoyers, the USDA unit responsible for fighting it, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, lost 2009 employees under Doge. That is 23% of the entire service. USDA overall shed roughly 20,000 workers in a single year."
The screwworm parasite, previously eradicated in the United States, has returned and is causing chaos in the cattle industry as the USDA unit responsible for combating it lost 23% of its workforce—2,009 employees—under Doge cuts. USDA's own report estimates a Texas outbreak could cost the state $1.8 billion, threatening both the beef industry and food prices. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins blamed Biden and illegal immigration but provided no evidence, while USDA overall lost roughly 20,000 workers in a single year.
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