USDA Confirms Screwworm in the United States

This is linked directly to the DOGE cuts

By: Austin Abbring

June 5, 2026

A second case of screwworm in cattle has been confirmed in Texas. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) fears the potential for an outbreak, and this could not be coming at a worse time. Ground beef prices are already at record highs, up 15% from last year. Couple that with the fact that the cattle inventory is at its lowest point since the 1960’s while demand continues to increase. Triple that fact with the increased cost of gasoline, oil, and diesel fuel from the Iran War, which is causing beef prices to continue to increase due to increased transportation and fertilization prices. A screwworm outbreak, in addition to these three points, would be catastrophic. 

There has not been a screwworm outbreak in cattle since the 1960’s. That outbreak was disastrous for the livestock industry, with massive fatalities amongst the infected animals as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in losses for ranchers. Screwworms deposit eggs, primarily in open wounds of warm-blooded animals, where the larvae feed on the host’s tissue, leading to possible fatalities if left untreated. If we see an outbreak, we can directly link this back to DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). 

Last year, as part of the massive USAID cuts carried out by DOGE, the government agency saw its federal grants, one of which directly monitored screwworm projects in South America, cut, as well as a sizeable reduction in staff. The combination of grant and workforce slashings has led to the first cases of screwworm on U.S. soil in several decades. Cutting these government agencies has real-world consequences. It’s why these programs are so vital. I will be extensively covering the DOGE cuts in the future, as it is one of the most undemocratic, plutocratic things I have ever experienced in this country. Having the wealthiest man in the world, Elon Musk, come in and make arbitrary cuts to government programs he dislikes is well beyond undemocratic. That’s not even close to a functioning democracy. 

Elon Musk does not care about the rise in ground beef prices. This does not significantly impact him. It certainly impacts the average American consumer and worker, which, incidentally, is the remaining 90% of us. This case perfectly illustrates how disastrous, dangerous, harmful, and ineffective DOGE was. It was extremely effective for Mr. Musk, who saw 17 Inspectors General fired. He got what he wanted. The rest of us in America and around the world are left bereft of security. I am sure there will be more to come on this cattle crisis, and I certainly fear an outbreak. These cuts to government agencies leave us understaffed and ill-prepared for crises like these.