# Flesh-Eating Screwworms Reach Florida's Mainland  - The Atlantic

> Screwworms, a flesh-eating parasite eradicated from the US decades ago, have reappeared in the Florida Keys, where several deer were found infested. The article warns that spread to Florida's mainland could threaten the state's large calf-shipping livestock sector.

- Date: 2017-01-15 · published 2017-01-15T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: disease · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/72945-flesh-eating-screwworms-reach-florida-s-mainland-the-atlantic
- Commodities: [Feeder Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/FCATTLE.md), [Live Cattle](https://feedsoft.ai/c/LCATTLE.md)

## Why it matters

A mainland screwworm outbreak could trigger movement restrictions on Florida calves and raise livestock treatment costs, tightening feeder cattle supply and supporting cattle prices.

## Read by commodity

- FCATTLE: bullish ▲
- LCATTLE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| FCATTLE | 2025-08-15 | [USDA to build Texas facility to fight flesh-eating screwworms \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23282-usda-to-build-texas-facility-to-fight-flesh-eating-screwworms-reuters.md) | +4.7% | +2.9% |
| FCATTLE | 2025-07-10 | [US again halts cattle imports from Mexico over flesh-eating screwworms \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23700-us-again-halts-cattle-imports-from-mexico-over-flesh-eating-screwworms-reuters.md) | +1.6% | +7.7% |
| FCATTLE | 2023-06-30 | [Upcoming Events - USDA Unveils $100 Million 'Grand Challenge' to Thwart Flesh-Eating Screwworm as Threat Reaches U.S. Border](https://feedsoft.ai/events/35436-upcoming-events-usda-unveils-100-million-grand-challenge-to-thwart-flesh-eating.md) | +1.3% | +1.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-05-28 | [Flesh-eating screwworms head for American livestock • Stateline](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19201-flesh-eating-screwworms-head-for-american-livestock-stateline.md) | -3.4% | +5.3% |
| FCATTLE | 2026-05-29 | [Flesh-eating screwworm found within 31 miles of US border, says USDA \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19199-flesh-eating-screwworm-found-within-31-miles-of-us-border-says-usda-reuters.md) | +0.1% | +4.8% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-08-15 | [USDA to build Texas facility to fight flesh-eating screwworms \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23282-usda-to-build-texas-facility-to-fight-flesh-eating-screwworms-reuters.md) | +1.1% | -0.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2024-10-24 | [The flesh-eating worms devouring cows](https://feedsoft.ai/events/27811-the-flesh-eating-worms-devouring-cows.md) | +0.9% | -1.1% |
| LCATTLE | 2025-07-10 | [US again halts cattle imports from Mexico over flesh-eating screwworms \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23700-us-again-halts-cattle-imports-from-mexico-over-flesh-eating-screwworms-reuters.md) | +2.6% | +6.8% |

## Sources

- pr-3918.frontend.k8s.theatlantic.com: https://pr-3918.frontend.k8s.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/01/screwworms-florida-mainland/512966/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.