New World screwworm was detected in Arizona. What does that mean for beef prices?

An Arizona cattle rancher said the detection of New World screwworm in Cochise County is a reason to be alert, but he does not think it will lead to a rise in beef prices.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a really big problem. We’ve been through this before, and we’ve eradicated the screwworm before,” Tim Petersen, owner of the Arizona Grass Raised Beef Co. in Yavapai County, told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Thursday.

A day earlier, the Arizona Department of Agriculture announced the state’s first animal case of New World screwworm, a parasitic fly capable of killing livestock, wildlife and pets.

“The screwworm fly was found on a domestic dog. It didn’t come across on any of the cattle that are coming in from Mexico. That’s, I guess, the good news,” Petersen said.

A local veterinarian detected signs of the infestation on Monday, and testing confirmed that screwworms caused the dog’s condition.

Petersen said the threat of the parasite means ranchers have to be more vigilant and take more time to inspect herds for open wounds and larvae. But he does not think it will affect beef prices.

“Overall the expense is going to be higher just because of man hours, but I don’t think we’re going to see a rise in the cost of beef because of this,” he said.

With the Arizona case, New World screwworm has now been detected in three states.

The first animal case of New World screwworm in the U.S. was confirmed in Texas in June. Since then, 70 cases have been documented in Texas and New Mexico, all but 18 of which are now considered inactive, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Petersen said ranchers are getting plenty of support from state and federal authorities in the fight against screwworms. Proven steps to prevent their spread and eradicate them are being taken, he said.

“It’s a pest. It’s not a pandemic or a disease, it’s a pest. And we are dealing with it and having success with that effort,” he said.

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