standingup.bsky.social

Be hopeful. Be optimistic. Do not become bitter or hostile. Love is a better way. Rep John Lewis

[Nomadic Warriors for Pritzker⚔️ @Nomads4Pritzker]

So, I've worked in the beef industry. I have a fairly detailed knowledge of beef markets, the supply chain, parasites and parasiticides, etc. Suffice it to say, this is a nightmare scenario, but one we've known was coming since at least 2022.

New World Screwworm was eradicated from North and Central America in the mid-90's. The US gov't (APHIS) funded a program of screwworm drops, where they bred sterile males so that extant populations couldn't reproduce and move northwards. But in 2022 NWS jumped the Darien gap and started moving northwards once again. It's most likely that they came undetected on livestock brought alongside migrants fleeing political instability in South and Central America. Elon Musk/DOGE, of course, cut several monitoring programs that would have detected this exact scenario. The screwworm drops are still funded, but the monitoring programs are what have been cut - a stupid move if there ever was one.

A serious Central/South America policy would have worked hand-in-hand with CA/SA governments to help contain this, but we've never had a serious policy towards South America, not during the Biden years, and especially not under Trump. The USDA broke ground on a sterile screwworm facility in Texas... last month. I worry it's too little, too late.

Screwworm is so dangerous because, unlike other fly larvae, they lay eggs and feed on living flesh. So something like a small scratch (or even bug bite) can quickly becomes infested, and the larvae will burrow into the flesh, growing the wound and attracting more screwworm. They don't only parasitize cattle, but will also feed on wildlife, domestic pets, even humans. Since they have detected screwworms in domesticated cattle right now, it's likely that there is a wild reservoir as well. We can quarantine herds and pets, but we can't quarantine deer and armadillos. They will move, and so will the NWS.

Under normal circumstances, cattle are moved around - a lot. Calves will be sent to stockers through their adolescence, then shipped to feedlots for finishing. A lot of calving operations (like 70%) are small, and small-time producers don't always catch parasite infestations. Cattle moved in-state don't require a certificate of veterinary inspection, so it's easy for an infested animal to be moved without being noticed. Animals crossing state lines do need a CVI, but Texas has such an enormous cattle population (something like 13 million head) that as goes Texas, so goes the nation.

Fortunately, we have a lot of drugs that treat NWS. The FDA has issued several emergency use authorizations in the last year or so. But every input raises the price of beef, and treatment only makes a difference if producers catch an infestation early. If an infestation spreads unnoticed on a large feedlot, it can hit hard, both in terms of cattle that have to be killed, and treatments that then have to be deployed. Producers will spend days at a time running cattle through the chute, inspecting them and applying parasiticides. It costs a lot of money, which is then passed on to the consumer.

What does that mean for you? Beef is a commodity, and just because there's no NWS up here in Illinois doesn't mean that prices won't skyrocket - and they will skyrocket. US herd size is already at record lows, and this will result in culls. Consumer prices also run 18-24 months behind, which means that shocks to the supply chain now are still going to be felt by consumers in 2028.

It's hard to say if our government will be able to muster an effective response - though I don't trust our current administration, which can't even throw a 250th anniversary party, to be able to deal with an ecological issue of this magnitude. It doesn't help that our current USDA secretary is a lawyer and think-tank creature. I don't much trust the state government of Texas either. The industry has also taken the workforce of large animal veterinarians for granted - a monopoly/market power issue that I just can't get in to here.

For me, it comes back to our federal government having an incoherent policy on Central and South America. We knew what was coming, we know what's going to happen, but we cut the program meant to prevent this scenario. Instead of taking those countries seriously as partners, the government has been stupid and domineering.

Here's the kicker: this is what the industry voted for. They might scream, they might get bailed out, but all that means is that you, the consumer, are going to be paying more for beef, plus whatever bailout gets shoveled their way. Until the industry accepts that they are part of a larger system; that they cannot eternally privatize the gains and publicize the losses of beef production; that they need to consider sustainability and stewardship in the management of their operations, this is only going to keep happening. Eventually, they may find that there is very little goodwill for them among the public, and people will decide that a Brazilian ribeye tastes just as good as one from Texas.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@Nomads4Pritzker I think the worlds richest man can help pay for the problem he helped create.

[DocAndersen @DocAndersen]

Elon Musk cut funding for the program that could’ve stopped the screwworm. https://t.co/rYs8SmmG9n via @YouTube

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@Eric_Schmitt Truth is after filling up my gas tank and buying groceries, I don���t have money to waste on BBQ across the state line in Kansas. Maybe you could do something to help your MO constituents out Eric? Move to KS and run for office there.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@mitchellvii Wouldn't the green agenda decrease the demand for gas and push prices lower? Also, the period in 2022 when gas averaged over $4/gal was at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@kenvogel @AaronParnas @CNN @FoxNews Sad @AaronParnas has to go back so far to find someone with solid journalistic standards to emulate.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@Blue_In_MO @PeteMundo @NWS I would like to see @mikethompsonwx provide data to support his claim. If warnings are being issued incorrectly, back it up with information that’s useful to take corrective steps. Show us and the @NWS where it was wrong.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@DennisTharp5 @Blue_In_MO @PeteMundo @NWS Storm sirens are different from warnings and the @NWS does not control them.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@Blue_In_MO @PeteMundo @NWS But let them miss one tornado and they have every weather enthusiast one their case. The @NWS is pretty much damned if they do and damned if they don’t anymore.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@dalesamsWx @NWSSPC Sirens going off in Lees Summit.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@higginsadm @RodriguezJR0008 @JordanHallWX This was Un a couple of days ago.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@DrownsTC @13PJM @1_ChiefsKingdom If the voters had an opportunity to vote on fully completed agreement, I would agree. But they rushed the vote with too many issues unresolved.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@boatdrinks25 @1_ChiefsKingdom gave a hell of a lot to the Chiefs for over 50 years. They received multiple renovations and did little to help develop the area around Truman Sports Complex. Clark Hunt can pound sand.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@boatdrinks25 @1_ChiefsKingdom What was the sticking point in the negotiations between White and the Chiefs? He wanted the Chiefs to commit to keeping their training facilities in Jackson County. Did the Chiefs agree? Were they honest about already negotiating with Olathe to move them? Those 3 entities /1

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@13PJM @DrownsTC @1_ChiefsKingdom agreed to put it up for a vote before a fully negotiated contract was complete. The whole time, Hunt was working with Olathe to move the training facilities there without disclosing it to the voters of Jackson County. Hunt is shady as hell. Don't blame the voters for this.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@13PJM @DrownsTC @1_ChiefsKingdom One of the key sticking points to negotiating with Jackson County was the Chiefs not agreeing to keep their training facilities in Jackson County. White wanted them to commit, Hunt would not. So Hunt went around White to a couple of boneheaded Jackson County legislators who /1

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@LukeDorris Ignore the morons on Twitter. I’d rather be forewarned and prepared and if nothing bad happens, that’s even better.

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@J_MA23 @brettachapman @NBCNews He lives in tornado alley where good modeling and forecasting is pretty important. 🤷‍♀️

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@LyftLady11 @TheTNHoller @hasanthehun How do you believe they helped get Trump elected?

[standingup.bsky.social @standingup2]

@ObiToddForever @cenkuygur What if we could achieve those objectives without the use of ground troops? Most of this could be negotiated with the right parties involved.