Trump Admin Declares ‘War On Screwworm’ To Contain Flesh-Eating Parasite

President Donald Trump’s administration is pulling no punches in the war on Cochliomyia hominivorax — the New World Screwworm.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Monday released a fact sheet detailing a number of steps that are being taken to target and eradicate the parasitic insect — which primarily infests livestock and pets, but can infect humans as well.

???? WAR ON SCREWWORM
Inspect • Report • Protect

We have been in full combat mode against this invasive threat since Day One.

• Millions of sterile flies deployed weekly in the infected 20km zone alone — 4 million by air + 4 million on the ground, plus an additional 90… pic.twitter.com/ALip0RLUMk

— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 8, 2026

“We have been in full combat mode against this invasive threat since Day One,” Rollins declared in her X post.

She then went on to list the steps being taken by the Department of Agriculture to prevent any further spread of the dangerous insect: “Millions of sterile flies deployed weekly in the infected 20km zone alone — 4 million by air + 4 million on the ground, plus an additional 90 million across the broader response area; New Texas production facility being fast-tracked at unprecedented speed; Production facility coming online in Mexico in the next month; Aggressive eradication efforts across the frontline.”

“This Administration is working hand-in-hand with our Texas partners delivering an unprecedented response: hitting harder, faster, and smarter than ever before,” Rollins added. “Thanks to our proactive preparation and rapid response, American agriculture will not be disrupted. We will eradicate this threat.”

The first confirmed case of a New World Screwworm infestation in American livestock had come just days prior, when a young calf in Texas tested positive for the parasite. The screwworm typically enters an animal through an open wound, where it then proceeds to feed on living tissue. Screwworms can wreak havoc on livestock and can be deadly if they are not caught early enough.