USDA confirms first New World screwworm detection in US wildlife
Per Reuters, the USDA confirmed the first New World screwworm detection in US wildlife: an elk found on a Pecos County, Texas game ranch.
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what happened
The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed its first detection of the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, in American wildlife. The infected elk was found on a game ranch in Pecos County, Texas, after a hunter had harvested it.
The Texas Animal Health Commission will adjust the boundaries of an infested zone set up earlier. The USDA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will carry out further wildlife surveillance in the area.
The pest was eradicated from the US decades ago but has moved north from Central America through Mexico. As a result, Washington has barred imports of Mexican cattle for more than a year.
why it matters
For markets, the halt on Mexican livestock has already tightened US cattle supplies and pushed beef prices to record highs for American consumers. The elk case does not change that picture directly, but it adds uncertainty for live cattle futures, since wider restrictions could prolong the supply squeeze.
market impact
Live cattle and beef futures: supply uncertainty tends to support meat prices
tags
instruments
sources
- US Agriculture Dept confirms first detection of New World screwworm in US wildlife — Reuters, 21 October 2026 at 22:44 UTC
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