The Department of Homeland Security, in partnership with the USDA, CDC, and DOI, conducted a two-part New World Screwworm simulation exercise to strengthen national readiness for emerging animal and public health threats. The exercise, featuring 80 in-person and over 170 virtual participants, tested scenarios involving illegal cattle smuggling, wild animal transmission, and human-to-human spread of the parasite. New World Screwworm, which infests livestock, birds, and humans, poses significant economic and health risks. Officials emphasized the importance of coordinated federal, state, and local collaboration to protect food security. Secretary Kristi Noem stated, “Food security is national security,” while Acting DHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sean Conley noted the exercise provided a shared operational baseline for effective government response.
https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/30/dhs-usda-and-cdc-conduct-exercise-strengthen-americas-food-security
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