Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins sought to reassure senators Wednesday that the recent screwworm outbreak is under control and not a threat to the country’s food supply.
“Over the past week and a half, USDA has confirmed six cases of the New World screwworm within the US, all but one in the south of Texas,” Rollins said while testifying before the Senate Agriculture Committee. “We know this development is a serious threat but it did not catch us off guard.”
Rollins added the US Department of Agriculture has invested substantial money in tackling the reemergence of the screwworm. “Over $1 billion, ...