Screwworm outbreak pressures U.S. beef market and becomes political heat

The USDA is preparing a $1 billion-plus program to eradicate screwworms in the United States after the first U.S. case surfaced in Texas, with 12 confirmed cases mostly among cattle. Beef prices are already high amid a drought-depleted herd, and the outbreak could worsen prices. Politically, Trump officials fault the Biden administration and immigration policy for the spread, while Democrats tie funding cuts to the response; if more detections occur, the pest could become a broader political risk for Trump and the GOP.