USDA reportedly shelves cyclospora research amid relocations and fund cuts — SkimNews
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- USDA is shuttering two of three cyclospora research projects after Congress defunded them earlier in the year, while the third project is set to be relocated from Maryland to Iowa as part of a broader agency reorganization.
- All scientists working on the parasite at the Agricultural Research Service have declined to relocate to Iowa, according to Politico citing people familiar with the plans and internal documents.
- Congress did not appropriate funding for the two research projects at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center outside Washington DC in the Agriculture Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026.
- USDA spokesperson said "None of the research has been disrupted, and research will continue without disruption," while blaming Congress for the funding cuts.
- CDC recorded more than 17,000 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across 48 states plus Washington DC from May 1 to August 24, with at least 11,844 additional cases flagged for further investigation.
- Foodborne parasite researchers are retiring or leaving ARS rather than relocating or being reassigned to other projects, according to the Politico report.
Why it matters: The defunding comes as the CDC documents over 17,000 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across 48 states — one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in recent US history — and every remaining specialist refuses to move to Iowa, effectively gutting the federal pipeline of expertise on a parasite that is actively sickening Americans this summer.
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