Officials are clamping down on cattle movements in Texas following discovery of New World screwworms in a pasture.
The pest has been moving north in Mexico up to the United States border and has now crossed it.
The North American Meat reacted by assuring the public that beef is safe to eat. It said screwworms are not a food safety issue.
The institute said “our first priority is to protect the health of the nation’s livestock. We are encouraging members of the Meat Institute to work with local, state and federal authorities to detect and irradicate the pest.”
The United States Department of Agriculture "has been working hard to prevent and respond to New World Screwworm. For a year now they have improved biosecurity by investing in protections and treatments and coordinating rapid response.
"We will look to USDA to brief industry stakeholders and call on them to consider allowing low risk terminal movements for slaughter to ensure animals continue to be processed,” the Institute said.
The pests enter livestock and people through open wounds, eyes, noe, ears and mouths and lay eggs that hatch into maggots that feed on flesh and are painful and foul smelling.
