Screw-worm fly threatens US cattle, says Polish beef sector safe

A screw-worm fly outbreak is spreading across the United States, with more than 30 active sites reported. The parasite can kill cattle within two weeks, and experts estimate potential financial losses exceeding $2.5 billion if it is not contained. Control efforts rely on releasing sterile male flies, but production of these insects is lagging behind the rapid expansion of the infestation. The United States remains the world’s largest beef consumer despite a historic decline in herd numbers.

Polish beef industry representative Jacek Zarzecki emphasized that the disease poses no realistic threat to Poland or other European producers, noting the great geographic distance and the fact that the flies do not transfer to humans. He described any risk to Poland as “negligible” and warned against linking the current drop in Polish cattle prices to the US outbreak.