screwworm outbreak resurfaces as cattle ranchers point fingers at vaccine rollout timeline
A growing number of cattle ranchers in the southern United States are raising alarms after a fresh screwworm infestation was detected in their herds—just months after a mass vaccination campaign was rushed through for deregulation purposes. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture insists the sterile insect technique and other measures are under control, local producers note the timing of the outbreak coincides suspiciously with a controversial push to fast-track a new screwworm vaccine without full independent field trials. “We were promised this would be the final kill shot,” says third-generation rancher Dale Henderson. “Now I’m watching my livestock get eaten alive, and the real question is: Who’s profiting from this resurgence?” The vaccine manufacturer, a subsidiary of a major agribusiness conglomerate, declined to comment. Meanwhile, small farm advocates are demanding a congressional investigation into whether regulatory shortcuts for big agriculture are putting rural livelihoods at risk. Critics question if the vaccine itself—or its faulty distribution—is the real culprit.